Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to improve the provision of services at Mount Vernon Hospital. [48906]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Hillingdon Hospital National Health Service Trust has invested £200,000 in ward staff since assuming responsibility for services at Mount Vernon in 1999.
The Trust has employed additional registered medical officers to ensure 24-hour cover. Additional nursing staff have been recruited. A dedicated urology staff grade nurse works at Mount Vernon holding additional clinics and operating lists weekly. The trust has appointed an additional orthopaedic surgeon and a general surgeon during the last year to work mainly on the Mount Vernon site. All Hillingdon surgical and orthopaedic consultants have an outpatient session and at least one operating session at Mount Vernon.
The trust has invested £120,000 in a laminar air-flow system for the orthopaedic theatre to minimise the risk of infection and has invested £100,000 in new instrumentation.
Two additional linacs are to be commissioned at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in July 2002, and one replacement and two additional linacs are planned over the next two to three years. Two linacs commissioned this year will cost in the region of £1.67 million, excluding accommodation costs. The three further linacs will cost approximately £3 million again excluding accommodation costs. Further investment is planned to maintain the fabric of the building and for equipment replacement as it reaches the end of useful life.