§ Mr. Archer (Warley West)asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the light of the policy of moving patients out of hospital and into the community in Northern Ireland, what facilities will be provided in the community in advance of the closure of hospital facilities; and what steps will be taken to ensure that the families of those concerned will be consulted and to discover if they are satisfied with arrangements for the care of the former hospital patients.
§ Mr. Needham[pursuant to his reply, 20 March 1986]: In recent years, funding of community services in Northern Ireland has shown a greater percentage increase than that of the hospital services. It will be for Health and Social Services Boards to decide, in drawing up their area strategic and operational plans what further developments are required in furtherance of the policy of providing a greater proportion of overall health care in the community.
No change is envisaged in existing procedures for the transfer of patients from hospital, under which arrangements are made in consultation with the patient's family and GP for appropriate continuing care to be provided in the community.