§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how joint finance arrangements will be affected by the delay in implementing the community care proposals.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNot at all. Current joint finance arrangements remain in force. We welcome and encourage collaborative work between health and social care providers. Health authorities and local authorities should continue to make plans to make the best possible use of joint finance for community care services.
§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of(a) people discharged from long mental illness hospital, (b) mentally handicapped people discharged from hospital, (c) day care places for the mentally ill available, (d) places for the mentally ill in community care homes and hostels, (e) day care places for the mentally handicapped and (f) places in community homes and hostels for the mentally handicapped, for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. DorrellThe table shows the number of patients discharged to the community from national health service mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units after a stay of one year or more, for the period 1979 to 1986.
In 1987–88 there were 3,900 finished district spells, excluding deaths, after treatment of more than a year, under a consultant for a mental illness specialty. Similarly for mental handicap there were 2,500 finished district spells. Finished district spells include transfers to other hospitals outside the district of treatment.
Discharges1 from mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units
England (1979 to 1986)
Year Mental Illness Mental Handicap 1979 3,460 1,178 1980 3,376 1,120 1981 3,516 1,246 1982 3,465 1,229 1983 3,563 1,457 1984 3,928 1,919 1985 3,441 2,052 1986 3,571 2,528 1 Excludes death and transfers. Comprehensive information on the number of day care places provided by national health service mental illness or mental handicap hospitals in England is not collected centrally.
Information on local authority day care places and places in homes and hostels for mentally ill and mentally handicapped people in England is published in two annual statistical series: "Adult Training Centres for Mentally Handicapped People and Day Centres for Mentally Ill, Mentally Handicapped, Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People" (References A/F 11A/87 to A/F 11A/88) and "Homes and Hostels for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People" (References A/F 11/79 to A/F 11/86 and A/F 11A/87 to A/F 11A/88. Figures for 1989 are not yet available. Copies of all publications are in the Library.
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§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of expenditure already incurred by local authorities in preparation for the introduction of the Government's community care proposals, in terms of(a) staffing, (b) training, (c) planning and (d) in other ways.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThis information is not collected centrally.