§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the state of the National Health Service in Cornwall.
§ Mrs. CurrieHealth services in Cornwall are improving markedly. Over the four years to 1986 the number of in-patient cases has risen from 36,400 to 41,600; the number of out-patient attendances from 199,800 to 223,400; and day cases from 6,400 to 9,800. Major developments are planned or in progress at Trelisk and West Cornwall hospitals. The care of patients requiring long-term care is being taken out of institutions into small community-based units.
All these measures have been made possible by the increased allocation of resources to the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly health authority—revenue spending has increased from £56.7 million in 1982–83 to £74.8 million in 1986–87, 10.7 per cent. in real terms, and the initial revenue allocation for 1988–89 is £84.418 million—and by the health authority's own efforts in sustaining significant cost improvement programmes including some rationalisation of services.