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Woodside Hospital, Newham

Volume 918: debated on Monday 1 November 1976

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asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the precise nature of consultations between his Department and persons or representative bodies concerning the principle and details of planning and design of the proposed nucleus hospital at Woodside, Newham; at what stage he expects that those staff likely to be transferred to this hospital will be informed of the details of the plans; and if they will be able to make comments on them.

Medical and nursing professional organisations were consulted on, and have accepted, the broad principles of the nucleus hospital concept as described in a letter from my Department dated 19th September 1975. There have been subsequent discussions with representatives of the medical profession on the standard nucleus designs and these are continuing. Detailed designs have been discussed with planning doctors, nurses and works professionals from regional health authorities and these discussions will continue.There have been meetings between officers of my Department and doctors and nurses from the Newham Health District to explain the detailed designs as they will be implemented at the Woodside site and doctors have been offered a further meeting. A presentation of the proposals for the new hospital was also given at a meeting of the Newham Community Health Council. General discussions with all staff likely to be transferred to Woodside Hospital will be arranged as part of the commissioning programme which is currently being drawn up, although earlier meetings will be arranged if required.The nucleus hospital is composed of standard departments which, with the exception of the pathology department which the North-East Thames Regional Health Authority is designing itself, the Regional Health Authority has agreed to adopt, but some comments which were made during discussions at earlier stages in the design process have been reflected in the detailed design.