§ 10. Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in funding an extension to the Brinnington health centre. [27720]
§ Mr. SackvilleThe proposal to develop Brinnington health centre as a primary care resource centre is due for discussion at the North West regional health authority's July meeting. If approved, it will receive the go-ahead at that time.
§ Mr. BennettWill the Minister urge North West region to give sympathetic consideration to the proposals since there have been repeated reports during the past six or seven years about the ill health suffered by many people in Brinnington? The most useful thing that could be done is to make sure that those people have a health centre large enough to enable them to have such facilities as a pain clinic to improve the treatment that they are now receiving.
§ Mr. SackvilleYes. This appears to be a worthwhile scheme which offers a great variety of services. Since the hon. Gentleman tabled his question he will have received a letter from the Stockport health commission, in which it mentions that the response to date to the information given to the region has been favourable. I hope very much that the scheme will go ahead, and that it will join another nine modern health centres in the north west, including four at a cost of £6.5 million in various deprived areas around Manchester.