§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to separate the patients who are 64 years of age and under from geriatric patients in the North Staffordshire hospitals.
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§ Mr. AlisonThe Board has already reduced substantially the number of patients under age 65 who occupy accommodation normally used by the elderly. Following the commissioning last July the 27-bed unit for younger chronic sick at the Fanny Deakin Memorial Hospital, the number has fallen from 75 at 30th June, 1971, to 40 in January, 1972. The Board will continue to do its best to reduce the figure so far as is practicable having regard to the resources of finance and manpower which can be made available for hospital services throughout the Region. In the meantime it is the practice in North Staffordshire hospitals to keep such patients in separate groups.