asked the Minister for Health the use he proposes to make of the space becoming available in psychiatric hospitals with the reduction in persons being admitted to such institutions.
Written Answers. - Psychiatric Hospitals.
198.
A programme is underway at present to improve living conditions for patients in district mental hospitals and any reduction in demand on services would help health boards in their efforts under this programme. However statistics for the most recent ten year period for which figures are available show an overall increase rather than a decrease in admissions to district mental hospitals. A negligible decrease in the last two years would not justify the assumption that the present trend is towards a significant reduction in admissions to district mental hospitals.