In 1976, 163 patients were approved by the Department of Health and Social Security for transfer from the Special Hospitals to the open wards of the National Health Service. By autumn 1978, a quarter were still waiting for admission. Patients meeting most difficulty were the severely handicapped non-offenders, who were usually refused unseen on the ground that local subnormality hospitals were full. The role of the DHSS and of the Regional and Area Authorities was in general restricted to bewailing problems they could not help to solve.

Some two years after their transfer, enquiries were made in the NHS about the 105 transferred patients. Removal back to the Special Hospital had been requested for seven, and another three had been removed by the police and prosecuted.