§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost of the pilot scheme for Norcall proposed by the Northern health and social services board; and what would be the cost of supplying the same number of telephones to the same people for the same period.
§ Mr. Alison[pursuant to his reply, 13 November 1979, c. 554]: This pilot project, which would provide an emergency alarm system for about 40 vulnerable people, is still being examined. Many aspects of the scheme including the equipment to be used, the allocation of a radio frequency and the cost of the scheme are still uncertain. The installation and rental charges for telephones for 40 people for one year would be about £3,400 unless savings were made by the
East Belfast and Castlereagh North and West Belfast South Belfast Estimates population (mid-1978) 131,200 178,700 78,800 Staff (whole-time equivalent) administrative and clerical 388 844 538 social workers and social work assistants 94 149 74 other 3,820 5,606 5,148 total 4,302 6,599 5,760 Total staff per 1,000 population 32.8 36.9 73.1 Social workers and social work assistants per 1,000 population 0.72 0.83 0.94 A major teaching hospital is situated in the North and West Belfast district and another in the South Belfast district. There has been a considerable movement of population from South Belfast and, although situated outside the district, responsibility for Muckamore Abbey hospital rests with the South Belfast district.