Learning Disabilities: Transforming Care

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Excerpts

Thursday 9th June 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I am not aware of the specific case of the Camphill communities, although I know about Camphill. Certainly, the preference is to have an environment where there are not too many people, with houses containing between, say, five, 10 or 15 people, rather than large organisations with sometimes many hundreds of people. I believe that Calderstones Hospital in the north-west, for example, has 223 in-patient beds. The intention is to close that and reprovide those facilities in the community. The key thing that we should always bear in mind is the best interests of the individual.

[Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab)]

My Lords, the Camphill Village Trust is an excellent organisation that provides small family units. May I ask the Minister to visit the excellent Camphill Village Trust in the Forest of Dean?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

This is an area of healthcare about which I am least informed, so I would very much like to do that.