§ 24. Dr. Winstanleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the results so far of research by the Clinical Psychiatry Research Unit of the Medical Research Council on the evaluation of a community mental health service, in which factors determining admission to mental hospital, the effects on the family of caring for mentally-ill patients and the outcome after two years are being assessed.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsNo, Sir. A number of papers on the study of community care in mental illness currently being undertaken by the Council's Clinical Psychiatry Research Unit, with the co-operation of the South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, has already been published in the medical and scientific journals and further results will be given in this way in due course.
§ Dr. WinstanleyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that a number of bodies are eagerly awaiting the results of that very important piece of research and that some have postponed decisions on projects of their own pending consideration of the results? Will he undertake to assist the M.R.C. in disseminating these results as soon as possible when they become available?
§ Mr. RobertsThis is a continuing study in a very important field. A number of valuable papers have been published in the accepted journals. I will look into the point about possibly speeding up publication.
§ Mr. WhitakerAs 47 per cent. of our hospital beds are occupied by psychiatric cases, what proportion of the M.R.C. is devoted to investigating mental health?
§ Mr. RobertsAbout 8.4 per cent. of the M.R.C.'s total budget is devoted to the study of mental illness and related psychological studies.