HC Deb 19 July 1965 vol 716 cc1113-4
20. Mr Driberg

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that two male spastic patients have been transferred from mental hospital to the residential spastics centre at Wakes Colne, Essex, having spent, respectively, 45 and 30 years in mental hospitals because they were wrongly diagnosed as mentally defective, and that it has only recently been discovered that both of them are of average or higher than average intelligence; and what steps are taken, by periodic re-examination of spastic patients in mental hospitals, to avoid a repetition of such errors.

Mr. Robinson

The general aim of hospital care is, wherever possible, to enable the patient to return to life in the community, either independently or with help from the local authority or other services; and the possibility of discharge is accordingly considered from time to time. I am glad to assure my hon. Friend that the full history of the two cases which I assume he has in mind does not invalidate this statement.

Mr. Driberg

Is my right hon. Friend aware that one of these two men, now 50 years old, has been locked up ever since he was a child of five and was released only recently as a result of prolonged checking and pressure by the Warden of the Spastics Centre? Is not this kind of thing extremely disturbing? How thorough can the periodic reviews or examinations of patients in mental hospitals be?

Mr. Robinson

I have seen a Press article about the case to which my hon. Friend refers. The impression that the patient was wrongfully detained and was released through the efforts of a voluntary worker in the face of some medical opposition is, I am very glad to assure the House, completely unfounded. The patient was treated for some years in the cerebral palsy unit of Harperburg Hospital. This unit was set up with the specific aim of dealing with such cases as his, and the staff of the unit can justly feel proud of their success in treating him.

Mr. Driberg

Does my right hon. Friend claim, therefore, to inform me, that the statements made by the Warden of the Spastics Centre are quite inaccurate and that these two men were not in a mental institution of any kind?

Mr. Robinson

No. Of course, they were in a hospital for the subnormal. What I said was that the impression conveyed by the article that they were released only by this man's efforts in the face of medical opposition was completely unfounded.

Mr. Driberg

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I shall endeavour to raise the matter on the Adjournment.