§ 31. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what steps he is taking to stimulate research into mental disorder and to encourage the entry of research workers, both medical and nonmedical, into this field.
§ Mr. TurtonThe Medical Research Council is taking every opportunity of promoting further research on mental Health, and during the past 18 months a survey of existing projects in this field has been carried out by the Council with the advice of the Clinical Research Board. Arrangements for the future support of these projects, and of other research on mental health, are now being made in consultation with my Department and the hospital authorities concerned. In addition, the Council has a scheme for the award of scholarships and fellowships for training in research methods which is open to both medical and non-medical workers in this field.
§ Mr. RobinsonWhile welcoming that small step forward, might I ask the Minister whether he ought not to look beyond the Medical Research Council for adequate work in this field? Will he take steps to encourage the introduction into mental hospitals of clinical research teams to take advantage of the wide clinical field for research which is available there?
§ Mr. TurtonApart from the work of the Medical Research Council, work estimated at about £70,000 a year has been carried on under the National Health Service. That work will be taken over in due course by the Medical Research Council, and that will entail the setting up of at least two new units by the Council.