§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Health Board; and what communications have passed between his Department and the Board on the closure of the Moyle Hospital.
§ Mr. CarterNone. The board has not made any proposals to close Moyle Hospital.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what 261W grant of money was made to the Moyle Hospital during 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, respectively;
(2) what grant of money will be made to the Moyle Hospital in 1978.
§ Mr. CarterFunds have been allocated to the Moyle Hospital as follows:
£000 1st April 1974 to 31st March 1975 1,081 1st April 1975 to 31st March 1976 1,328 1st April 1976 to 31st March 1977 1,509 1st April 1977 to 31st March 1978 1,766 (provisional) 1st April 1978 to 31st March 1979 not yet allocated
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the Moyle Hospital Larne;
(2) what facilities in the Moyle Hospital he intends to close down; and when this close down will take place.
§ Mr. CarterMy noble Friend the Minister of State with responsibility for the health services in Northern Ireland has already announced his approval of the recommendations by the Northern Health and Social Services Board for the development of hospital services in its area. In consequence, the general acute hospital services in that area will be concentrated in a new hospital north of Antrim and in the Coleraine Hospital, which will be suitably developed. In due course acute services will cease to be provided at the Moyle and other acute hospitals which will then play a supporting rôle.
It has also been made clear that a standard rôle cannot be laid down for supporting hospitals as the precise functions for such a hospital must be tailored to fit local circumstances. There will be consultation locally in due course about the supporting rôle at each hospital. Consultant out-patient clinics will however continue at all supporting hospitals.
These changes in hospital services will not be effected overnight as the transition from the present to the new pattern of services will evolve gradually over the next five to 10 years. It is not possible, therefore, to predict when general acute services will no longer be provided at the Moyle Hospital.