Written question asked by Lindsay Hoyle (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 January 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 22 January 2007. It was answered by Andy Burnham (Labour) on Monday, 22 January 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Independent Treatment Centre: Preston

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consultation exercise is being undertaken on the proposal for a new independent treatment centre in Preston;

Answer: An eight-week consultation has recently been launched by the six primary care trusts (PCTs) in Cumbria and Lancashire to seek the views of the public on the planned establishment of a new clinical, assessment, treatment and support (CATS) service. The consultation runs from 15 January 2007 to 9 March 2007. The PCTs are consulting specifically on the details of the local implementation of CATS services in Cumbria and Lancashire, which fall into four areas: the location of the sites’, their impact on the wider health services, how to ensure that they fit seamlessly into the pathway from GP referrer through to local hospitals treatment, and the proposed clinical specialities.

Secondary information