§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 October 2003,Official Report, column 212W, on Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital, what facility is out of commission; and on what date each part of it ceased to be used. [134058]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 23 October 2003]: I must apologise to the hon. Member for an error in my response to him on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 212W.
Facilities for the proposed new independent sector treatment centre will be provided by Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals National Health Service Trust but the final solution will depend upon negotiations between the trust and the preferred provider for this unit.
512WImproved capacity managed by the Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust has meant that because of increased throughput of patients as day surgery cases and changes in operating schedules, the trust announced the temporary closure of the Fielding Ward from 31 October for a period of rive months.
This is unrelated to the proposals for a new treatment centre.