§ 36. Mr. Loveridgeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the figures for the present ratio of bed places in mental hospitals per 1,000 of population, together with the comparable ratio 10 years ago and the anticipated ratios for five and 10 years ahead on which plans for building and other provisions are based.
§ Sir K. JosephIn line with the continuing marked fall in the number of resident patients, the average ratio of staffed available beds in hospitals and units for the mentally ill per 1,000 population dropped from 3.16 in 1962 to 2.47 in 1972. Fundamental changes in the pattern of services for the mentally ill are proposed and the guidelines for future development which have been published and which will be incorporated in a White Paper planned for next year do not represent a projection of this trend.