§ 20. Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of frail elderly people in Scotland who will require NHS hospital beds in the year 2000. [3478]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe level of NHS bed provision and the organisation of community health and social services for the frail elderly 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 in the community which meets current and future needs.