HC Deb 07 December 1993 vol 234 cc189-90W
30. Mr. Shersby

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in improving primary and community health care in the North West Thames region.

Dr. Mawhinney

North West Thames regional health authority has committed £9 million this year to developing primary care and community services. In addition, £5 million has been provided from central sources to fund new primary care developments in their part of the London initiative zone. The regional health authority has also recently agreed a comprehensive programme to close all its large mental illness and learning disability hospitals by the year 2000, and to replace them with a full range of local community-based services.