HC Deb 04 July 1960 vol 626 cc27-9
40. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the recommendations made to him by the British Medical Association in respect of Rampton and Moss Side Hospitals which would result in moving many of the patients elsewhere so that they could be more accessible to relatives; and what reply he has made.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the memorandum of evidence which the Association has prepared for the Working Party on the Special Hospitals. I understand that the working party recently met representatives of the Association when their views were amplified orally.

Mr. Dodds

Whilst thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask whether action is likely to be taken? Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman bear in mind that many men and women in Rampton live so far from their homes that they rarely receive visits from either parents or friends? Is the Minister aware that from the Bristol area, for example, a mother spends 14 hours in making the journey there and back for less than two hours with her boy? Is it not time that these mentally ill people were given an opportunity to be visited by their relatives, which is so essential to betterment?

Mr. Walker-Smith

The question of visiting and travel arrangements at Rampton is, as the hon. Member knows having regard to previous Questions he has asked, a matter in which we are doing our best. In regard to the wider issue raised by his supplementary question, I should await the report of the working party before taking action.

Mr. K. Robinson

Will the Minister not agree that concerning at least some of these patients reasonably regular visiting by relatives is of therapeutic value? As the Minister directly in charge of these hospitals, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman ensure that something is done to improve visiting arrangements and, if possible, to transfer some of the patients to hospitals nearer their homes?

Mr. Walker-Smith

In regard to the first part of that supplementary question, we are already engaged in that, as I have told the hon. Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Dodds). We do, of course, transfer patients from Rampton to hospitals nearer their homes whenever we can do so, but we can do this only when patients no longer need the special facilities and training which Rampton provides.

Dr. Johnson

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware, in reference to what he has just said, that there is delay in obtaining vacancies for people even when they are fit to leave Rampton or Moss Side? The superintendents of these hospitals find difficulty in placing then on account of the delay in obtaining vacancies. I have one such case at Moss Side at the moment.

Mr. Walker-Smith

There are, of course, cases in which we are not able to find an alternative place in a non-special hospital for a patient as soon as he or she is ready for discharge from Rampton. Those arrangements, however, are just one of the things which we hope to improve when we receive the report of the Working Party.