To ask the Minister of Health, pursuant to AQW 34236/22-27, to detail the reasons why the current infrastructure and inpatient accommodation Ward 10 North is not suitable to deliver CAR-T Therapy, including how it does not meet the British Society for Haematology and Royal College of Physicians established standards.

The current infrastructure and inpatient accommodation available in Ward 10 North is unsuitable due to limitations in the number of isolation rooms, ensuite access and specialist protected (HEPA filtered with positive pressure) rooms.

The environmental deficiencies of Ward 10 North, do not meet the British Society for Haematology and Royal College of Physicians established standards, which are endorsed by NICE. Furthermore, HTM (Health Technical Memoranda) 03-01 (2021); covers specialised ventilation for healthcare premises and recommends that rooms for haematology inpatients should have HEPA filtration and positive pressure for protective isolation.

HBN (Health Building Note) 04-01 A (2013), covering adult-inpatient facilities, advises that it may be necessary to provide a higher level of isolation, particularly for those patients with airborne diseases or for immuno-suppressed patients who may be at risk of infection from others. In these cases, an isolation suite – which includes an entrance lobby, bedroom and en-suite sanitary facilities – will be required.

HBN 04-01 Supplement 1 (2024): covers special ventilated isolation facilities for patients in acute settings. It sets out that among reasons to isolate in special ventilated isolation facilities are where a patient is known to be especially susceptible to infection or at risk of contamination from other sources, i.e. immunocompromised (protective isolation). It includes the following recommendations:

• Isolation rooms to be lobbied.

• Option for Positive pressure ventilated lobby (PPVL) isolation suite, can be used for source and protective isolation.

• Isolation room lobbies are recommended to be 6.5sqm

• The entire isolation suite envelope should be constructed to a 30-minute fire resisting.

Currently, none of the 6 transplant rooms within Ward 10N BHSCT comply with the guidelines which pertain to isolation room requirements.