§ 30. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health the approximate total cost of the hospital treatment of mental patients in England and Wales during the last available budgetary year.
§ Mr. TurtonAbout £47 million in 1954–55 for persons suffering from mental illness or mental deficiency.
§ Dr. JohnsonWill my right hon. Friend examine ways in which at least part of this large cost may be spent to better advantage, by developing more discriminatory methods of admission of patients to hospital, such as observation wards and the development of the mental health visitor services? May I draw his attention to, for instance, the county borough of Oldham where, by the development of a system of mental health visitors, admissions to mental hospitals were cut from 169 in 1951 to 128 in 1954? Will my right hon. Friend consider methods of developing similar services in other parts of the country?
§ Mr. TurtonWe certainly will look at the whole question of the development of the treatment of mental health. The Piercy Committee is dealing with this matter and I hope that later in the year we will be able to study its report.