Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Tuesday, 12 May 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Mental Health Services (Sutton)

Question: The Minister may be aware of debates in the House on the future of Henderson hospital and that a consultation entitled "Shaping the future: Supporting people with complex personality disorder" is under way. Can he reassure me that the model of a therapeutic community with a residential component will be given reasonable consideration in plans for dealing with personality disorder, and will he receive from those dealing with Henderson hospital an update on the future of that service?

Answer: As the hon. Gentleman knows, Henderson hospital is temporarily closed because of falling demand and lack of clinical viability, but, as he says, that is subject to a consultation due to end on 27 July, to which organisations and individuals can of course make representations. The matter is obviously one for local decision making, but he has today drawn the House's attention to the services that he wants to be provided in future and I shall ensure that his representations are fed into that local consultation.

Secondary information