§ Mr. AlisonAll hospital regions can State for Social Services how many regional hospital boards are not able to provide adequate treatment for long-stay adolescent patients; and how long a period is likely to elapse before progress is made in providing such treatment.
§ Mr. AlisonAll hospital regions can provide such treatment in ordinary wards in mental illness hospitals, where patients of this age are so far as possible grouped together: most regions now also have special units for adolescents.
Advice given to hospital authorities in 1964 was that special units should be provided on the basis of 20–25 beds per million population. The number of units in England has since risen from 7 (157) to 21 (403 beds) and 29 further units (about 500 beds) are planned. It is for hospital boards to determine priorities in the allocation of their resources.