§ Ms Rachel SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many NHS continuing care beds each health board in Scotland plans to close from 1 April 1994 in(a) learning disabilities, (b) psychiatric, (c) geriatric, (d) psycho-geriatric and (e) physical disabilities; over what timescales the closures will take place; and if he will make a statement on Government targets in these areas.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThere are no centrally imposed targets for long-stay bed provision in the NHS. The pace of change is directed by patient needs. The organisation of long-stay care and care services in the community are determined by continuous joint assessment of local needs involving health boards and local authorities. The aim is to secure the most effective package of services, both in hospital and the community, that meet the specific needs of patients and carers.
§ Ms Rachel SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been transferred from each health board in Scotland to local authorities under resource transfer arrangements in respect of reductions in NHS continuing care beds in(a) learning disabilities, (b) psychiatric, (c) geriatric, (d) psycho-geriatric and (e) physical disabilities in each year since 1991; what is his assessment of the adequacy of the level of resource transfer to local authorities; and what proportion of the money saved by health boards will be transferred to local authorities.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonInformation on money transferred from health boards in Scotland to local authorities has only recently been collected centrally and is available for the period 1993–94 onwards. The data provided do not include an analysis of the different categories requested. The latest information available is given in the table:
658W
Health board Resource transfer 1993–94 £000 Estimated resource transfer 1994–95 £000 Argyll and Clyde — 1,465 Ayrshire and Arran 642 1,529 Borders — 608 Dumfries and Galloway 119 857 Fife 1,018 1,822 Forth Valley 987 2,129 Grampian 2,404 3,216
Health board Resource transfer 1993–94 £000 Estimated resource transfer 1994–95 £000 Greater Glasgow 399 466 Highland 549 1,519 Lanarkshire 778 2,105 Lothian 590 3,926 Tayside 604 1,401 Orkney — 163 Shetland — 101 Western Isles 144 147 Total 8,234 21,454 In addition to the above, health boards paid £10.3 million to other agencies in 1993–94 for non-NHS care services, and are estimating £9.6 million for 1994–95.
Resource transfers are to be regarded as a contribution towards the cost of alternative care services in the community. Health boards' contributions will reflect what can be afforded from the savings achieved through contractions in long-stay bed provision after any necessary reinvestment in alternative health care services. The level of reinvestment is very much dependent on local circumstances and need. It is not possible, therefore, to draw ready conclusions about either the adequacy or proportion of savings eventually transferred. I am, nevertheless, encouraged with the expected level of increase for 1993–94 to 1994–95.