GUY'S AND LEWISHAM NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE TRUST

That this House congratulates the Guy's and Lewisham NHS trust on the substantial progress it has made in the past six months, including 10 per cent. more patients treated and waiting lists cut by 5 per cent; welcomes its plan for the next six months in its Patient's Charter which includes an extra 6,000 patients treated, a wait of less than 12 months for 90 per cent. of patients, and an increase in the pay of 1, 600 low paid staff by ú6 a week from January and a Christmas bonus of ú30; notes that this has been made possible by the greater freedom, flexibility and initiative provided by NHS trust status; looks forward to the benefits of this more devolved and less bureaucratic form of management for hospitals and other services being spread throughout the NHS; and condemns Her Majesty's Opposition's constant obsession with denigrating the work of these hospitals and belittling the achievements of their staff.