HC Deb 16 January 1980 vol 976 cc772-3W
Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients waited (a) less than one month, (b) one or two months, (c) two to three months, (d) three to four months and (e) more than four months between the date of the patient's application for a mental health review tribunal and the date of the hearing during 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Sir George Young

The information related to the first hearing of the case by a tribunal is as follows:

early in 1979 have been overcome. I am satisfied that at present the support services which the Department provides are adequate to deal with the work of the mental health review tribunals.

Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients withdrew their applications to mental health review tribunals in 1977, 1978 and 1979; how many of these were special hospital patients; and how many were considered by the tribunal clerks to be withdrawn for unacceptable reasons.

Sir George Young

The information is as follows:

Withdrawals By special hospital patients
1977 43 5
1978 51 10
1979 46 6

I understand that, after investigation, in accordance with the wishes of the tribunal chairman concerned, no applications were considered to have been withdrawn for unacceptable reasons.

Applications
Total Special Hospitals
Broadmoor Moss Side Park Lane Rampton
1976 487 25 73 115
1977 488 44 48 3 118
1978 490 26 56 3 108
References
1976 356 81 63 5 158
1977 378 85 63 9 166
1978 351 87 58 11 138

The number of applications determined during 1976, 1977 and 1978 and, of those, the number in which the tribunal discharged the patient, were as follows:

Applications determined Patients discharged
1976 393 48
1977 428 80
1978 367 74

There are a number of cases in which, before an application can be determined, the patient ceases to be detainable under the Act.

Information on the number of reclassifications cannot be obtained without disproportionate work, but the numbers are thought to be low.