Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Lancashire residents were admitted to a mental health unit that was not their nearest facility in urgent or emergency situations because of a lack of beds since April 2012; how many such patients lived in West Lancashire constituency; and how much has been spent on private sector provision for such patients.

The data is not collected centrally.

Information on out of area placements for mental health patients in Lancashire and the costs of private sector provision for such patients may be obtained from NHS England’s Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral Area Team.

Patients may be referred out of area for specialised mental health treatment for a number of reasons. In all cases, places will be found in the nearest possible facility.