§ 18. Mr. Dodds-Parkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were admitted to mental illness hospitals in 1958–59 and 1968–69; respectively; how many new outpatients and day patients were seen; how many in-patients there were and what proportion was compulsorily detained; what was the average length of stay of those discharged; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CrossmanI will, with permission, circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT. These figures reflect changes in methods of treatment. They include patients treated in psychiatric departments of general hospitals. Instead of long-term in-patient care, hospitals are increasingly providing shorter periods of active treatment to in-patients, and making greater use of out-patient and day-patient treatment.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerDoes the right Gentleman agree that that probably shows that although more individuals have gone into hospital they have been got out rather more quickly than in the past? Does not that show the need for increased research?
§ Mr. CrossmanNo doubt we ought to have more research, but I am more 941 concerned with getting the facilities right, and I am sure that the right thing is to move to facilities in acute district hospitals and to reduce long-stay patients. We can claim that the figure dropped from 103,000 at the end of 1958 to 79,000 at the end of 1968. That was a substantial decrease, but readmissions increased in that time from 44,000 to 83,000. So there we have the good with the bad. If we reduce the long-stay, we increase the risk of people coming back. I still think that it is better to come back and then go home again, rather than be there for life.
§ Following are the figures:
| 1958 | 1968 | |
| Admissions including readmissions) | 94,000 | 172,000 |
| New Patients (Out-Patients) | 152,000 | 226,000 |
| New Day Patients | A few Thousand | 19,000 |
| In-patients resident at end of the year | 142,000 | 120,000 |
| Detained Patients | 55 per cent. | 7 per cent. |
| Median length of stay of those discharged | 51 days | 33 days |