HC Deb 12 May 1958 vol 588 cc3-4
7. Mrs. Braddock

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that parents and relatives of mentally defective persons, many of whom are low grade cases, have been waiting for as long as five years for bed accommodation for the defective, and that in one instance a child was taken to a Liverpool court as being outside the control of the parents; and what steps he will take to improve the position in regard to such cases.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I am aware of the difficulties due to shortage of accommodation, particularly in this area. The regional hospital board has already increased the number of mental deficiency beds by 400 since 1948 and expects to add a further 198 within the next year. Other substantial developments are in progress, or at an advanced stage of planning.

Mrs. Braddock

But is not the Minister aware that Liverpool is in a rather peculiar position because, prior to the National Health Service Act, we had no mental deficiency beds at all? They were part of the Lancashire Board, to which Liverpool paid a precept. In view of the case, particulars of which I have sent to him, and the very serious comments made by a Liverpool magistrate in ordering the mental defective into hospital accommodation, can he say what will happen if the parents of the 108 very low-grade mental defectives, who have been looking after them in circumstances of very great difficulty but with very great loyalty, are taken to court and the Liverpool magistrates order, as they can by law, every one of those mentally defective cases to be admitted to hospital? If that is the position, why cannot something be done for these very serious cases immediately?

Mr. Walker-Smith

I fully accept that there is a problem here, as the hon. Lady has indicated, owing to the shortage in the Liverpool region since the inception of the scheme in 1948. In the intervening years, however, there has been a good increase—from 465 beds in 1948 to 871 at present, with the promise of 198 more beds in this year. In addition to that, as the hon. Lady will, I think, know, there are these large schemes in various stages of progress, and we will press on with those as fast as possible.

8. Mrs. Braddock

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the dissatisfaction of the parents and relatives of mentally defective persons at the further delay in the provision of additional beds at Newchurch Hospital, near Warrington; and, in view of the fact that these delays have been going on since 1950, what action he is going to take to stop the delay.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I fully recognise the need for this large development scheme. Detailed planning could not be authorised until the hospital capital programme was enlarged in 1955, and since then it has been necessary to review the proposals in the light of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Law relating to Mental Illness and Mental Deficiency. More recently, the estimated costs of engineering services have given rise to some difficulty, but with the help of the regional board I hope that this will shortly be resolved and that an early start will be possible.

Mrs. Braddock

Is the Minister aware that there is perfect agreement between both the local authority and the Liverpool Regional Hospital Board on this matter, and that both have been pressing very strongly for this accommodation? This has been under consideration since 1950, and it is only in a Circular of 13th March that we have been told that there is no possibility in the very near future of this Newchurch scheme proceeding. As we get only half, and sometimes less than half, of the beds available because of our dependence on the Manchester region, will the Minister say whether this Newchurch scheme can be hurried up so as to relieve the position in Liverpool?

Mr. Walker-Smith

I appreciate that there is pooling of accommodation between the two regions, and I have that in mind. I think that the hon. Lady has, if I may say so, formed rather too pessimistic a view about this matter. It is simply a question of getting right these engineering problems with regard to heating, and we shall certainly press on as soon as may be with that.