HL Deb 26 July 1988 vol 500 cc149-50

2.49 p.m.

Lord Sherfield asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the Department of Health and Social Security has decided to close its General Practice Research Unit and transfer the bulk of its funding to the Medical Research Council.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Skelmersdale)

My Lords, the retirement of the director of the DHSS funded General Practice Research Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry and the forthcoming retirements of the two Medical Research Council unit directors provides the opportunity for restructuring the three programmes. Our objective is to fund research of high scientific quality with the potential to improve the treatment and care available to patients by means of the establishment of a new social psychiatry research unit. The DHSS intends to fund a significant programme of work at that unit.

Lord Sherfield

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Does he think that even if the Medical Research Council devotes the bulk of this fund, so reserved, to the same kind of work as that being done by the research unit, that the Medical Research Council, as a science-led body, is the right body to undertake research concerned with the delivery of primary care to the National Health Service?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I think I would be wise to reserve my answer to the noble Lord's question until such time as the Government publish their response to the Select Committee's Report on the subject.

Lord Rea

My Lords, I am sure the noble Lord is aware of the most important and internationally recognised work that has been carried out by this unit in delineating and defining the large proportion of work which reaches general practitioners which is of psychogenic or social origin, although it often masquerades first as physical illness. If the Medical Research Council takes over the bulk of the funding, can he say whether the expertise of that team will be maintained? Further, will the new units be situated appropriately as this one is, at the Institute of Psychiatry?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, what I can say is that the Department of Health will continue to fund research at broadly the same level of expenditure at the new unit. I recognise that primary care and the work of general practitioners is of vital and growing importance in the mental health field, as the noble Lord said. Indeed, the unit itself recognises that fact.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, may I take this opportunity of congratulating the noble Lord on his new appointment and express the hope that he will continue to speak in this House on health as well as social security?

In relation to the Question on the Order Paper, may I ask what the total expenditure by the DHSS was on the GP research unit and what extra funding will be made available to the Medical Research Council? Moreover, can the Minister give an assurance that the decision which has been taken will have no adverse effect on the research into general practice?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I was very pleased to hear the noble Lord's introductory comments. When I said earlier that I expected the Department of Health's support to continue at broadly the same level, the figure I referred to was£280,000 per year. More generally, however, the research will have to be discussed with the new director when he is appointed, But I must point out that he is currently in the final stages of selection.

Lord Shackleton

My Lords, while the noble Lord is quite right to reserve his answer to my noble friend Lord Sherfield, can he draw the matter to the attention of the new Minister of Health, Mr. Clarke—to whom we also extend congratulations—and wish that he will do better than he has done in space over HOTOL? At the same time, my noble friend has brought out a most fundamental point in the report; namely, that it is the view of the committee—perhaps he will consider this—that research should not just be transferred to the Medical Research Council. Will he give a good deal of consideration to this fundamental point?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, of course I shall refer the matter both to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health and also to my honourable friend the Minister for Health, because I am aware of the concern of your Lordships in this area.

Lord Peston

My Lords, perhaps the noble Lord can clarify one aspect of his Answer which I may have missed. Will the new research unit which will be working in this field be located at the Institute of Psychiatry, or do we not yet know where it will be located?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I cannot give a cast iron guarantee; but it expected that it will continue to be at the Institute of Psychiatry.