§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what information he has regarding district health authorities which have decided on mental hospital closures before the full implementation of appropriate community services;
(2) what guidance he has issued to district general managers concerning the time scale of mental hospital closures in cases where appropriate alternative community services have not been fully implemented.
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§ Mr. NewtonGuidance in the relevant policy paper sent to all districts says
New facilities must be available before old facilities are dispensed with.We do not fix any time scales on closure plans and I am not aware of any health authority which has closed facilities without the provision of appropriate alternative services. We see the closure of mental illness and mental handicap hospitals as a consequence of the current development of comprehensive locally-based community-oriented services and not vice versa.