HL Deb 23 October 2003 vol 653 cc194-5WA
Lord Adebowale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) How many people have been moved from long-stay hospitals to alternative accommodation since the publication of the Valuing People White Paper;
  2. (b) which long-stay hospitals continue to provide accommodation for people with a learning disability; and
  3. (c) how many people with a learning disability remain in long-stay hospitals and alternative accommodation. [HL4644]

Lord Warner

We do not believe that it is right for people with learning disabilities to live in National Health Service hospital accommodation on a long-term basis. One of the objectives in the White PaperValuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century (March 2001), which contains our proposals for improving services for people with learning disabilities, their families and carers, is the closure of the remaining long-stay hospitals by April 2004.

When Valuing People was published, some 1,500 people with learning disabilities were living in long-stay hospitals. The number is now around 750. Plans are in the development stage to move these people to appropriate alternative accommodation.

The remaining long-stay hospitals are:

  • Aston Hall
  • Chase Farm
  • Earls House
  • Fieldhead
  • Gloucester Centre
  • Gorse Hill
  • Highbury
  • Lea Castle
  • Little Highwood
  • Little Plumstead
  • Long Leys
  • Monckton
  • Northgate
  • Oak House
  • Orchard Hill
  • Princess Marina
  • Prudhoe
  • Ridge Hill
  • St Catherine's
  • St Ebba's

These long-stay hospitals have not previously been publicly named to protect the remaining patients from intrusion. This position was agreed with local management.

The director of valuing people implementation intends to report in detail on the hospital closure programme to the Learning Disability Task Force in December.