§ 25. Mr. Fletcherasked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to ensure that all cases of attempted suicide coming to the notice of any hospital or general practitioner, obtain psychiatric or other suitable treatment.
§ Mr. PowellI shall shortly be asking hospitals, local health authorities and general practitioners to do all they can to ensure that everyone coming to their notice as having attempted suicide receives appropriate care and treatment.
§ Mr. FletcherI am obliged for that answer. The Minister realises, does he 908 not, that with the passage of the Suicide Bill an entirely new situation has arisen in which it will be the sole responsibility of his Department to look after these people?
§ Mr. PowellYes, Sir.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonWill the Minister take special care about hospitals, in view of the fact that in the past at least one famous London teaching hospital was in the habit of treating the physical symptoms of an attempted suicide and discharging the patient without ever referring him to the psychiatric department of the hospital?
§ Mr. PowellThat is a point on which I am placing particular emphasis in the circular which I intend to issue.