HC Deb 26 March 1974 vol 871 cc251-3
3. Mr. Christopher Mayhew

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she proposes for improving community services for the mentally ill and handicapped.

6. Mr. Moonman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will give early consideration to a full and detailed review of all after-care services for the mentally sick, including proposals for their improvement.

The Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. David Owen)

I am well aware of the wide gap between need and existing provision of community services for both these groups, and I consider that high priority should be given to the improvement of these services. Full weight will be given to this in the allocation of resources and my right hon. Friend will be making a statement later.

Mr. Mayhew

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Will he bear in mind that tens of thousands of people are in psychiatric hospitals, not because they can benefit from the treatment there or because they need custodial care but simply because there is nowhere better for them to go? Is he aware of the great experience in protected residential accommodation in the community? People not only enjoy life more, at less public cost, but make medical and nursing facilities available at the hospitals for those who need them.

Dr. Owen

I am aware of that fact, and guideline figures handed to local authorities in 1972 gave an estimated need for England of about 12,000 local authority residential places and 30,000 day places for the mentally ill. The present provision is about 2,100 residential places, supplemented by about 1,300 local authority places in voluntary homes and about 3,700 day places, so we have a long way to go.

Mr. Burden

Will the hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that he will consider the provision of a school for mentally handicapped children at Bobbing, in Kent, which is already under consideration and which is urgently needed in that area?

Dr. Owen

If the hon. Gentleman writes to me on that matter, I shall give urgent consideration to it.

Mr. Moonman

I congratulate my hon. Friend on his appointment. Care of the mentally sick is not a political question. Will my hon. Friend also take into account the fact that the information available is inadequate and out of date, and in the important report that he has mentioned will he take into account the adolescents who would not be in hospital if the necessary services and facilities were available for them elsewhere?

Dr. Owen

I thank my hon. Friend for his opening comment. His interest in this matter is well known. We shall consider the question of adolescents, which is a worrying one, and in framing the statement we shall consider all aspects of the mentally ill and handicapped.

Mr. Raison

Will the hon. Gentleman keep a close eye on the links between hospital services and local authority services, which, incidentally, should have been made better by the recent reform of the National Health Service?

Dr. Owen

It has always been the Labour Party's view that these links need to be very close. It is a matter of public knowledge that we tend to think that they should be even closer than envisaged in the reorganisation.