§ 3.15 p.m.
§ Lord Mottistone asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether they are satisfied that all district health authorities have a team dedicated to the long-term care of mental illness and that all such authorities have a formal way of monitoring the provision of such long-term care.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)My Lords, we are satisfied that within district health authorities there is co-ordination between health care professionals for this purpose. Indeed, that is the whole thrust of the care programme approach to be introduced this April which involves systematic arrangements for assessment and aftercare to ensure that people with a mental illness being treated in the community receive the health and social care that they need. Last September the Department of Health issued a guidance circular reminding health authorities that in discussions with consultant psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and other professional staff and social services departments they should establish suitable local arrangements and see that they are maintained.
§ Lord MottistoneMy Lords, is my noble friend sure that the directive is being implemented? Is she aware that interviews carried out three years ago by the National Unit for Psychiatric Research and Development with 52 health authorities showed that 40 per cent. appeared to have no team dedicated to long-term care and 54 per cent. had no formal way of monitoring the provision of long-term care? Does my noble friend agree that what she has told the House indicates a tremendous advance during the past three years? Is she sure that that has happened?
§ Baroness HooperMy Lords, the care programme approach is an advance which is to be implemented in the future; that is, in April of this year. The arrangements for monitoring provide that regional health authorities will monitor the districts' implementation and the department's social services inspectorate will monitor the impact of the mental illness specific revenue grant. I am happy to report that there has been a 99 per cent. take-up of that grant. Furthermore, there is a White Paper commitment for the department to commission research into developments in this area.
§ Lord CarterMy Lords, does the Minister agree that postponement of the implementation of the community care plans until 1993 could make it harder to deal with the requirement of providing proper care for the mentally ill? Can she explain to the House how the care programmes for the mentally ill which are to be devised by the district health authorities are supposed to relate to the community care plans for the 1101 mentally ill to be implemented by the local authority and social services departments after 1993? How are the two plans supposed to be integrated?
§ Baroness HooperMy Lords, the new care programme approach is to be implemented in the context of the wider reforms to be introduced after 1st April this year. I expect the phasing in of the community care programme to be to the advantage of the full implementation of the new care programme approach for the mentally ill. It gives local authorities a period during which they can make their plans and the necessary arrangements for their implementation.