HC Deb 19 November 2002 vol 394 cc102-3W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the length of ambulance waits outside casualty at the Royal United Hospital, Bath; [80722]

(2) what assessment he has made of the length of trolley waits at the Royal United Hospital, Bath; [80724]

(3) what assessment he has made of current and foreseeable wait time data at the Royal United Hospital, Bath. [80723]

Ms Blears

Information on ambulance waits outside accident and emergency departments is not collected centrally. However, I have been advised by Wiltshire Ambulance Service national health service trust that waiting times at the Royal United Hospital, Bath have substantially improved in the past two months and average waits are not disrupting ambulance services.

I am also advised by Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority that Royal United Hospital Bath NHS trust has had no trolley waits over 12 hours since July 2002 and that the trust is meeting waiting time targets for both in-patients and outpatients. The trust is continuing to work to minimise trolley waits and to improve waiting times. It is aiming to hit both the 12-month target for in-patients and also the 21–week target for out-patients by the end of March 2003.

Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the financial position of(a) Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, (b) West Wiltshire NHS Primary Care Trust and (c) Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. [80725]

Ms Blears

[holding answer 18 November 2002]: The Royal United Hospital Bath is reporting a forecast income and expenditure deficit of £25.2 million for the financial year 2002–03. This deficit is acknowledged to be part of a wider Bath health community financial deficit of £30.7 million and is not wholly attributable to any individual organisation. Bath health community is working in conjunction with the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire strategic health authority to develop plans leading to financial balance.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust is predicting a year-end deficit of £1.4 million. West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust also has a deficit of £1.2 million. The trusts continue to work with partner agencies to develop solutions to address these problems. Progress has been made in a number of localities and a consultation on service development is under way in others.