§ 38. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health the total number of hospital beds in England and Wales available for elderly people as at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. VosperAt the end of 1955 about 56,000 beds were available to the chronic sick through the National Health Service. Many other beds are of course available to elderly patients according to their illness.
§ Dr. JohnsonWill my right hon. Friend use his powers to insist that the regional hospital boards and the local authorities co-operate in the establishment of proper geriatric services so that these beds are used to their fullest advantage, and so that we do not have elderly people pitchforked into mental hospitals from which so often they never come out?
§ Mr. VosperI do not accept the view of my hon. Friend about elderly people being pitchforked into mental hospitals. I will accept the implication of the first part of his supplementary question. He will, however, agree that the provision of domiciliary and welfare services in this field is equally important.