§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the development of general practitioner-run cottage hospitals to supplement the coverage of patients provided by district general hospitals.
§ Mr. Parkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is now in a position to make a statement on cottage or community hospitals within the reorganised National Health Service.
§ Sir K. JosephMy right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided that policy for the development of hospital services, which has hitherto concentrated mainly on district general hospitals, shall in future include community hospitals. These will be complementary to the district general hospitals and closely related to the primary health services. District general hospitals will remain the focus for specialist services for each health district, but there is now general agreement in principle that in most areas a proportion of the hospital services can with advantage be provided in smaller more local hospitals to be called community hospitals. These can provide appropriate hospital care nearer their homes for patients not requiring the highly specialised facilities of the district general hospitals. The precise arrangements will vary considerably according to local conditions, including population density. The development of community hospitals is not intended to add to the total hospital 109W services planned for any district, but up to a quarter of all its in-patient beds and many of its day places might eventually be in community hospitals, thus enabling us to base our future planning on smaller district general hospitals. A community hospital will cater for a variety of types of patients, and will differ from the traditional cottage hospital. Indeed by no means all existing local hospitals will be able to continue in use. But some can be given a new and viable role, with adaptation or extension of their buildings if necessary; their work will need to be closely co-ordinated with the district general hospitals and the primary health services within operational policies worked out by the future district management teams. My right hon. and learned Friend and I hope to issue detailed guidance on this new policy later this year after some further consultation with our advisory bodies, the health professions and the health service authorities.