§ 43. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health whether he will give an estimate of the average age of patients in mental hospitals in England and Wales as at the latest available date; and how this compares with 12 months previously.
§ Mr. TurtonOn 31st December, 1954, about 55 years. Twelve months earlier the figure was similar.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopIs the Minister aware that there has been some increase in recent years of the average age, particularly of new patients entering the mental hospitals? Does not that suggest that there is an urgent need to give more attention to residential accommodation outside the hospitals for old and confused people?
§ Mr. TurtonI am sure that the hon. Gentleman is right, and that we ought to get more accommodation outside the mental hospitals for old people, but the figures for which he asked me do not show that there has been any increase in this period.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopWill the right hon. Gentleman look at this further, in view of its importance in relation to domiciliary treatment?
§ Mr. TurtonI am constantly studying the problem of the older patients.