§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will investigate the effects of delayed admissions and early discharges of hospital patients on the financial and manpower resources of community care provision.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt is for individual district health authorities to make their own assessments, in consultation where appropriate with local authorities and family practitioner committees, of the effects of changes in280W admission and discharge arrangements for hospital patients on services provided in the community, and to make any necessary adjustments to the services they provide.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have been re-admitted to long-stay geriatric, psychiatric and mental handicap hospitals after their care arrangements in the community have broken down; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenThis information is not collected centrally. Admission to hospital for treatment for any person requiring hospital treatment is, of course, a natural element in any structure of community services.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what extra training will be provided for medical students and general practitioners, in the light of the increased numbers of elderly, mentally-handicapped' and mentally-ill people living in the community instead of in hospitals.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe content of training for medical students is a matter for universities within the framework of the recommendations on basic medical education issued by the General Medical Council.
Full vocational training is now mandatory so every new general practitioner has to complete three years specific training for general practice.
Changes in curricula and in postgraduate training are of course made to take account of developments in service needs.