§ 20. Mr. Blackburnasked the Minister of Health whether he has yet completed his inquiry into conditions at the Rubery 2292 Mental Hospital; and what steps have been taken in the meantime to ensure adequate staffing of the hospital.
§ Mr. BevanNo, Sir. The position is being fully examined in order to determine what further steps may be practicable to meet the staffing difficulties at this hospital.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs my right hon. Friend aware that it has already become abundantly clear that the allegations made by the hon. Member for Solihull (Mr. M. Lindsay) are absolutely without foundation, and that there is no doubt whatsoever that all the people admitted to this hospital have either been certified on proper grounds or have been admitted without certification because of the great overburdening of the local hospitals in the area?
§ Mr. BevanIt is obvious that there is a very great shortage of accommodation for the chronic sick, especially for the aged chronic sick. There has always been this shortage of accommodation. In the past, they had to live in workhouses for which there was no central responsibility in this House. We expected to have these questions, and we are very glad they are being asked because they throw a light on the needs of the problem.
§ Earl WintertonWould the right hon. Gentleman say whether this was the hospital in which a patient was unfortunately murdered by one of the other patients owing to the fact that there was inadequate supervision?
§ Mr. BevanI am having inquiries made into the circumstances of the case, and I should imagine that hon. Members should exercise the same restraint as I am before forming an opinion.
§ Earl WintertonI made no allegation; I merely asked the right hon. Gentleman whether it is the same hospital. Does not he think this a most serious state of affairs?
§ Mr. BevanAs to the seriousness of the state of affairs, we must first of all await the examination of the report, and not make tendentious statements in between.
§ Colonel Stoddart-ScottIs it not possible for patients to be admitted to mental hospitals as voluntary patients without being certified; and may I point out 2293 to the right hon. Gentleman that no charges have been made from this side of the House that people have been wrongly certified, but only unnecessarily certified?
§ Mr. BevanI do not know how the hon. and gallant Gentleman draws a distinction between wrongly and unnecessarily certified. It is perfectly true that between 50 and 60 per cent. of the people who go into mental hospitals in this country do so voluntarily and without certification, which is itself a tribute to our mental hospital system.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs my right hon. Friend aware that, in relation to the matter raised by the noble Lord, the coroner's inquest decided that death was accidental? Does not my right hon. Friend think that the noble Lord ought, in decency, at least to withdraw this allegation of murder, which was made in respect of an occurrence in my constituency?
§ Earl WintertonPerhaps I may be allowed to give a personal explanation. The coroner's jury said that this person was killed by another patient, which must have been murder. The fact remains that the patient was killed owing to inadequate supervision, which is a most serious charge against the hospital.
§ Mr. BlackburnOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. An allegation has been made by the noble Lord that murder was committed. I respectfully submit that he should withdraw that allegation.
§ Mr. SpeakerNo allegation was made. I understood that the noble Lord asked a question whether it was the same hospital.