§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health what progress has been made in reviewing the cases of mental defective patients with a view to ending compulsory powers, consequent upon the instructions issued on 16th January, 1958; what is the number concerned; how the review is being carried out and by whom; what is the rate of progress; when it is 77W expected that the review will be completed in existing cases; in how many cases compulsory powers have been ended; and what is the number discharged from mental hospitals, or under consideration for discharge, as a result of the review up to the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe review is being carried out by medical superintendents or appropriate medical officers of hospitals and the Board of Control. At 25th March hospitals had submitted 9,122 recommendations and of these 5,155 patients have been discharged from orders to remain in hospitals on an
— At 31st December, 1955 At 30th September, 1957 Increase (a) Total Nursing Staff Whole time … … … 26,713 28,443 +1,730 (6 per cent.) Part time … … … … 9,130 9,953 + 823 (9 per cent.) (b) Student Nurses (included in (a)) Whole time—Male … … 1,708 2,426 +718 (42 per cent.) " Female … … 2,518 3,277 +759 (30 per cent.) The rate of recruitment of nursing staff to mental and mental deficiency hospitals has appreciably improved in the last two years with a marked increase in the number of student nurses, both male and female. * Including Bethlem Royal Hospital and Maudsley Hospital and certain neurosis hospitals which are not designated as mental hospitals.