§ Mr. Pollockasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had about services for the mentally handicapped in Scotland.
§ Mr. John MacKayOn 8 January my noble Friend, the Minister of State, held informal discussions with representatives of Greater Glasgow, Forth Valley and Lothian health boards, and Strathclyde, Central and Lothian Regional Councils about services for the mentally handicapped in their areas, and in particular the prospects of increasing the rate of discharge from the larger hospitals of those mentally handicapped patients who would benefit from community care.
My noble Friend made plain that the Government envisage a continuing role for mental handicap hospitals for those patients who require specialist medical and nursing care. There will be a substantial role for both the health services and local authority services, and also for the voluntary sector, in the care of mentally handicapped people. Co-operation in both the planning and delivery of services is essential.
The Government recognise that, in the light of the continuing debate about this very important subject, it is desirable to encourage a wider understanding of their position as set out at the meeting on 8 January. Accordingly a statement of Government policy towards the mentally handicapped was subsequently sent to the Scottish Health Service Planning Council and to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. I have placed copies of this statement in the Library of the House.