§ 5. Mr. Mark Todd (South Derbyshire) (Lab)If he will make a statement on the reprovisioning of Aston Hall hospital. [148788]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. Stephen Ladyman)Derbyshire mental health services NHS trust—together with the local social services authorities, Greater Derby primary care trust and the Trent strategic health authority—remains committed to the re-provision of services at Aston Hall hospital and to minimising any further delay.
§ Mr. ToddI thank my hon. Friend for that response. Obviously, there has been a slow deliberate process, and rightly so. Very sensitive people live in the hospital at the moment, and they need to be re-provided for appropriately, which takes time. One major outstanding concern is the future of the leisure centre and the hydrotherapy pool, which are used both by residents and by external visitors to the site who need that kind of care. Will he ask his officials to consider very carefully how that existing service can be maintained or re-provided appropriately?
§ Dr. LadymanMy primary concern, of course, has to be with the closure of the long-stay hospitals and ensuring that the people who are left in them at the 1204 moment, who have very complex needs, are properly managed and that their transfer takes place in the most efficient and beneficial way for them. That is also the concern of the local authorities in respect of Aston Hall. How some of those community facilities that are currently provided in the Aston Hall building are subsequently provided is a matter for local decision, rather than for me, but I will certainly ensure that my hon. Friend's concerns are passed on to the local authorities that have to make those decisions.