§ 23. Mr. Turtonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date a health centre will be provided at Kirkbymoorside to provide the outpatient facilities which were a condition precedent to his approval of the closure of the Adela Shaw Orthopaedic Hospital.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyThe local health authority has included a health centre at Kirkbymoorside in its capital building programme for 1970–71 but informs me that it is still looking for a site. Outpatient facilities will continue to be provided at the hospital until they can be made available at the health centre.
§ Mr. TurtonWill the hon. Gentleman take it that there is grave concern in my constituency not only about delay in providing a health centre but also because a number of long-stay orthopaedic child patients are being transferred to hospitals for the mentally sub-normal against the will of their parents?
§ Dr. DunwoodyI appreciate the concern about delay. This has been caused by the difficulty of finding a suitable site. As soon as the local authority puts forward an application for loan sanction, my right hon. Friend will be ready to accept it.
The question of in-patients is slightly different, as the right hon. Gentleman 907 knows; he has both discussed the matter with me and received a letter from me on the subject. As I understand it, some of the cases at this hospital are those tragic cases in which a severe orthopaedic disability is associated with mental sub-normality. On the closure of this unit, some of these cases, in the opinion of their medical advisers, would be best catered for in an institute specialising in the care of the mentally sub-normal. I understand that of the 21 children transferred from this hospital in only two cases have there been any objections by the parents concerned.
§ Mr. TurtonIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the second part of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.