HC Deb 12 March 1985 vol 75 cc109-10W
32. Dr. Mawhinney

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will encourage regional health authorities to review their policy with respect to the long term use of hospital beds by patients whose predominant need is nursing care.

Mr. John Patten

Our aim is for patients whose predominant need is for nursing care to be looked after in small, homely units, close to their families and friends. This policy is well known to health authorities and many are developing innovative approaches to care away from a hospital setting. We ourselves have introduced the concept of nurse managed homes for such patients within the National Health Service and three experimental homes have been opened in the last two years.