§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his policy towards resources to combat schizophrenia in the light of the launch of "Schizophrenia: A National Emergency".
§ Mr. WhitneyA substantial proportion of the £1 billion which is spent annually on mental illness services is spent on the care and treatment of people with schizophrenia. We do not have statistics available centrally that would indicate the precise proportion. We mean to ensure that these funds are used to the best possible advantage. Early this year we set aside £6 million over the next three years to establish mental illness development projects in each 693W National Health Service region, to assist their progress towards improved patterns of care. (This supplements three projects, specifically on aftercare for schizophrenia, which were launched in 1983.)
When the development projects were launched we also set aside resources for additional research studies in mental illness; four new studies—all including people with schizophrenia and one including such people only —are already under way. We welcome the progress that has been made in recent years towards understanding this disease and finding the most effective methods of care.
We welcome, too, the part which voluntary bodies can play in the mental illness field, in co-operation with the statutory authorities both in raising additional funds and in increasing the knowledge of the public in a non-sensational way, so dispelling unfounded fears.