§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the inadequate level of services for the frail and elderly in need of hospital treatment in the North-West region, if he will investigate the situation ; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungIt is for the North-Western regional health authority to
£million FPC 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 Greenwich and Bexley … 0.154 0.200 0.230 0.240 0.258 Camden and Islington … 0.177 0.241 0.272 0.285 0.311 City and East London … 0.256 0.264 0.328 0.345 0.373 Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster … 0.293 0.331 0.325 0.335 0.369 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham … 0.321 0.363 0.414 0.433 0.469 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth … 0.238* 0.454* 0.385 0.373 0.355 * The expenditure in 1974–75 and 1975–76 for the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth FPC is distorted by further organisational changes which took place during these years. There are special arrangements for the administration of the family practitioner services in the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow areas and separate administrative costs are not available.
220Wdetermine in detail the needs of the population it serves and to decide the rate at which services for the elderly can be developed, taking into account the resources available, the quality of existing provision, and the high priority which the Government attach to these services. The authority is aware of the need to improve services for the elderly in the region and has placed particular emphasis on developing provision for the elderly in the first half of its 10-year capital programme.