Health Centres (Hansard, 19 December 1955)

§ 11. Mr. Blenkinsop
asked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the development of health centres, in view of the valuable experience Gained at Harlow and elsewhere.

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
Six new health centres have been provided under the National Health Service Act, 1946, in addition to twenty-four premises taken over as centres by local health authorities in 1948. A seventh new centre was opened formally last week and a small number of schemes are at various stages of planning and construction.
My right hon. Friend will continue to support, so far as he can, further experimentation where new facilities for local health authorities and general practice are needed and co-operation between these branches of the service can be achieved. He welcomes the initiative of the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust and other bodies in sponsoring other experiments at Harlow and elsewhere. These, together with the centres provided by local health authorities, will give valuable experience from which future projects will no doubt profit.

§ Mr. Blenkinsop
Has the hon. Lady taken note of this work, particularly at Harlow, and, in view of the great value of the type of centre which is being developed there, would she and her right hon. Friend be prepared to consider whether any detailed amendment of the Health Service Act might be necessary in order to encourage this sort of co-operation between the preventive and the after-care services which we so much want?

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
I think the hon. Gentleman will agree, as indeed we do, that the experience of these new centres and of how they will work in a year or so from the time of their inception will be of great benefit in judging their future use, but it would be idle to ignore the fact that needs vary from area to area. While these centres might serve a vital need in a new community, they are not always as applicable in old-established residential areas. I think that we must work on the experience gained from the most useful schemes now under way.

§ Mr. Blenkinsop
Will the hon. Lady at least see that we do not lose the chance of developing health centres in newly-developed areas or where there is, perhaps, a complete redevelopment of an old industrial area, before doctors establish themselves in private houses?

§ Miss Hornsby-Smith
I think that all these points are taken into consideration, particularly in new areas.