§ 9. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a similar service to that of the Worthing experiment in domiciliary psychiatry extended throughout the country would prevent no less than 50,000 admissions to mental hospitals yearly; that, calculating the overall cost of each admission at £560, even allowing for irreducible hospital establishment overheads and for the cost of the domiciliary service, the saving thereby effected could not be less than £10 million per year; and whether he will produce plans on a national basis to ensure that this large saving be made in the next financial year.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 3rd February.
§ Dr. JohnsonIn addition to what he has said, will my right hon. and learned Friend give an assurance that, in the development of a service of this kind, no administrative divisions will be allowed to stand in the way? Will he look at that point in particular?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI can certainly assure my hon. Friend that we are looking with great interest at the Worthing experiment and that we shall certainly seek to get full value out of any lessons which it has to teach.