§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now make a further statement on action taken with regard to the report of the national advisory council on employment of disabled people concerning liaison between health, social and employment services for the rehabilitation and resettlement of disabled people.
§ Mr. RossiComments on the report have been received from major interests and officials of this Department330W together with those from the Manpower Services Commission, the Employment Medical Advisory Service and Scottish Home and Health Department have met on several occasions to consider the best way to proceed. In respect of the report's three principal recommendations, officials of this Department and the Scottish Home and Health Department are considering where two HELP—Health Employment Liaison for Patients—pilot schemes might be mounted. It is hoped to begin these pilot schemes by the end of 1982. A joint DHSS—College of Occupational Therapists conference will be held in October to identify what contribution that profession might make towards further progress in establishing common standards in work assessment. The possibility of mounting hospital-based research into the nature and causes of discontinuity in rehabilitation between health social and employment services is being considered.