| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Ms Jowell: I shall deal with that point in a moment.
As I said, in the current financial year, the Trafford Healthcare NHS trust received a 6.72 per cent. increase.
As part of our modernisation of the national health service, we are supporting the biggest hospital-building programme ever in this country. Since 1 May 1997, 31 major hospital developments, worth more than £2.9 billion, have been given approval to proceed under the private finance initiative. The PFI was much vaunted by the previous Government, but not a single hospital was started as a result of their PFI. [Interruption.]
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Lord):
Order. I remind the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) that Front-Bench spokesmen do not take part in half-hour Adjournment debates.
Ms Jowell:
Two of our developments are very close to the constituency of the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale. They are the Central Manchester Healthcare NHS trust and the Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS trust joint venture, which is being redeveloped at an overall scheme cost of more than £200 million, and the South Manchester University Hospitals NHS trust, which is due to be redeveloped at an overall scheme cost in excess of £100 million.
As part of developing consistency and care based on the best available evidence, providing the context in which care in new buildings will be delivered, the national service framework for older people will focus on those parts of the NHS that are especially important to elderly people. The issues raised by the hon. Gentleman specifically focus on the quality of care for elderly people. Above all, we believe that older people want to retain as much independence and dignity as possible; as members of the external reference group, the views of older people and those who care for them will be taken into account during the development of that framework.
However, services must evolve and change to keep pace with local demand. In some places, that might mean new hospitals; in others, it might mean closing old ones, changing their use or using hospital facilities in new and innovative ways. It may involve transferring services that have traditionally been provided in hospital into the community, closer to where people live. Indeed, I believe that that was one of the original intentions of the proposals advanced in 1996 for the people of Trafford South, to which I now come.
Altrincham general hospital is one of four hospitals that make up the Trafford Healthcare NHS trust. It is not a district general hospital in the conventional sense. The hospital provides a range of out-patient services, a minor injuries clinic and three wards with 42 dedicated rehabilitation beds for the elderly.
In 1996, under the then Government, Salford and Trafford health authority carried out a full public consultation exercise, at the request of the Trafford
Healthcare NHS trust. Its purpose was to canvass public opinion on proposed changes to the hospital and to some community services for the population of Trafford South.
Mr. Brady:
I shall be brief. The purpose of that consultation was to assess opinion on the proposal to build a new community hospital. It had always been promised that Altrincham would not lose Altrincham general hospital unless and until that new community hospital was built.
Ms Jowell:
I shall continue to deal with the substance of this debate.
The health authority received and considered a range of responses to these proposals. At its meeting in November 1996, it approved the provision of a new community hospital at Broadheath. It also accepted that there were genuine concerns about the overall reduction in the number of available in-patient beds, and deferred a decision until a review of rehabilitation services for older people in that area could take place.
More recently, and against a background of having to balance a forecast end-of-year deficit of £2.2 million, the trust identified savings of £1.4 million. As part of its proposals to address the remaining deficit of £800,000, the trust proposed closing two of the three wards at Altrincham general hospital and increasing its investment in community-based rehabilitation services for older people.
Regrettably, the trust's proposals for achieving its financial balance had not been formally discussed in advance with the health authority or members of the local health and social care community. Instead, on 4 May, they were agreed in a closed session by the trust board. Salford and Trafford health authority was advised by fax on Friday 7 May of the trust board's intentions.
I fully appreciate and share the concerns of the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West about the manner in which the trust has sought to achieve a substantial change in service provision. Understandably, the plans agreed by the trust board, and the way in which they were developed and announced, did not receive the support of the health authority or the community health council.
On 18 May, in response to a question tabled by the hon. Gentleman, my hon. Friend the Minister for Health confirmed that the regional office of the NHS executive had instructed the trust and health authority to agree a joint approach on the future of in-patient services at Altrincham general hospital and on the future shape of its community-based services.
As a result, the trust board withdrew the decision that it had previously made on 4 May. However, at a public trust board meeting on 1 June, it once again endorsed proposals that involved the closure of two wards at Altrincham general hospital.
The hon. Gentleman is aware that, at its meeting on 10 June, members of the health authority were unable to support the decision taken by the Trafford Healthcare trust. Instead, the authority noted the trust's decision and agreed to consult with key stakeholders about the nature, availability and adequacy of alternative services before agreeing to any closure of wards at Altrincham general hospital--a point raised by the hon. Gentleman.
The authority agreed also to take legal advice to determine the need for further public consultation and to review the full range of the trust's proposals for achieving financial balance, including the need for public consultation. I hope that the actions taken by the health authority address the hon. Gentleman's concerns and I understand that, in any event, no decision will be taken by the trust or health authority on the future of the elderly care wards at Altrincham general before spring 2000.
Furthermore, this time scale will coincide with the publication of the national service framework for older people, which I mentioned earlier.
The chief executive of Salford and Trafford health authority has indicated that the authority will want to consider also the report being commissioned by the
primary care group on services for elderly people, along with other relevant information, before taking any formal action to determine the future pattern of care.
Hon. Members will find offensive the hon. Gentleman's claim about political bias in appointments. It is our determination to make sure that the best people are chosen to represent a wide range of community interests. As someone who has overseen the process and ensured that all appointments comply with the guidelines issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, I hope that the hon. Gentleman will consider withdrawing that remark--
The motion having been made after Ten o'clock, and the debate having continued for half an hour, Mr. Deputy Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
14 Jul 1999 : Column 545Adjourned at seven minutes to One o'clock.
| Index | Home Page |