§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is content with North-East Thames regional health authority's plans concerning Friern and Claybury hospitals for mentally ill people; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe fully support North-East Thames regional health authority's general policy for mental illness services. We believe that large institutions, such as Friern and Claybury, provide unsuitable environments for the care and treatment of mentally ill people and should be replaced by locally based services. These local services should, of course, cover the full range from inpatient acute and long-term care through to support in the community, depending on the needs of individual patients.