HL Deb 16 November 1972 vol 336 cc906-8WA
BARONESS SEROTA

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they can now announce the proposed boundaries for the new Area and Regional Health authorities in Greater London.

LORD ABERDARE

As stated in the White Paper onNational Health Service Reorganisation: England (Cmnd. 5055), the health areas in London will be formed out of single boroughs or groups of boroughs, the four Metropolitan Regional Health Authorities will each include some London health areas, and, as elsewhere in the country, health care will be based on districts which may overlap the administrative boundaries.

The circumstances in London are such that for the area and regional boundaries there is no pattern that is ideal or will please everybody. After extensive consultations, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has decided that the areas and regions that will best serve the needs of the National Health Service are those set out below. I would again emphasise that in the National Health Service administrative boundaries are in no sense barriers to the movement of patients or to the establishment of medical and dental teaching links.

Region No. 5 in Cmnd. 5055:
Area: Barnet.
Area: Brent.
Harrow.
Area: Ealing.
Hammersmith.
Hounslow.
Area: Hillingdon.
Area: Kensington and Chelsea.
Westminster.

Region No. 6 in Cmnd. 5055:
Area: Barking.
Havering.
Area: Camden.
Islington.
Area: City.
Hackney.
Newham.
Tower Hamlets.

Area: Enfield.
Haringey.
Area: Redbridge.
Waltham Forest.

Region No. 7 in Cmnd. 5055:
Area: Bexley.
Greenwich.
Area: Bromley.
Area: Lambeth.
Lewisham.
Southwark.

Region No. 8 in Cmnd. 5055:
Area: Croydon.
Area: Kingston.
Richmond.
Area: Merton.
Sutton.
Wandsworth.

House adjourned at twenty-five minutes before eight o'clock.