§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his official visit to the Central Hospital, Hatton, near Warwick; and if he will state when the hospital will achieve a significant reduction in its overcrowding over and above that already achieved.
§ Mr. CrossmanThis was one of a number of visits I paid to hospitals for the mentally ill and mentally subnormal. I welcomed the progress already made in reducing the number of patients since the hospital's catchment area was reduced from 1,337 in February, 1967, to 1,152 in March, 1969. Some further relief will flow from the opening of a 42 bed psychiatric unit at Walsgrave Hospital in the summer. Meanwhile I am asking the Regional Hospital Board to keep the situation under careful review.