Urgent Question on Guidance for “Major Incidents”

On Wednesday 28 January 2015 the Opposition was granted an Urgent Question asking the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement onwhat guidance has been issued by NHS England on declaring a major incident.

Valerie asked:

“The Manor hospital had to declare a major incident due to inordinate pressure from the closure of Stafford A and E. That is not a local issue, but a national one. When will the Secretary of State provide the hospital with the extra money to absorb the closure of Stafford A and E?”

The Secretary of State replied:

“I can reassure the hon. Lady that we have provided a huge amount of extra money to deal with the problems in the wake of what happened at the former Mid Staffs Trust. We are continuing to give every support we can to Walsall and Stoke and other trusts. We have more doctors and more nurses and major changes are happening. The problem in Mid Staffs went on for four long years, and we do not want to wait that time before sorting out the problems.”