§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what improvements have been made in the facilities and buildings available for use in the Bolton general hospital during the last five years; what steps are being taken to make further improvements; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Moyle, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 575–6], gave the following additional information:
Since 1973–74, approximately £3 million has been spent on schemes to improve and extend facilities at Bolton general hospital. These include new boilers, enlargement of the industrial therapy unit, upgrading of one geriatric ward, a new 718W geriatric day hospital, extensions to the X-ray department and the school of nursing and a new maternity department. It was apparent to me when I visited the hospital in February 1978 that substantial improvement was needed; since then the Bolton area health authority has spent over £½ million on building and engineering maintenance including the replacement of laundry equipment. The North-Western regional health authority's capital programme for the next four years includes major schemes to upgrade the psychiatric and geriatric wards, to improve operating theatre facilities and to provide new units for the elderly severely mentally infirm—56 beds and day places—for mentally handicapped children—25 beds—and for the mentally ill—60 beds and 80 day places.