§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with liaison and consultation between the community services and mental hospitals on the discharge of patients, in view of recent criticism by the director of the Health Advisory Service, and of the increasing dependence on voluntary workers' participation; and if he will seek to maintain the level of central funding for community care.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe are in general content with liaison between health and local authority services, though we are aware of some problems. The development of comprehensive community psychiatric services is a longterm process and links between those providing services in hospitals and those doing so in the community are better developed in some places than in others. Voluntary bodies have an important part to play in providing services which complement those provided by statutory bodies and we welcome their increasing involvement.
The criticism made by the Director of the health advisory service was in respect of one particular district and was the subject of a statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on 22 July 1982.—[Vol. 28, c. 549.]
Community psychiatric services are but one of a range of functions performed by health and local authorities. Generally, it is a matter for authorities locally to decide the level of funds to be devoted to particular services. The Government's high priority for services for people who are mentally ill was set out in the handbook "Care in Action" published last year.