§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances health authorities are required to accept responsibility for the long-term or short-term care of people with learning disabilities.
§ Mr. YeoThe role of the national health service in meeting the long and short term health care needs of people with learning disabilities is set out in the statement of Government policy made by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, at the MENCAP conference in June 1991, a copy of which is available in the Library.
In the transition to community-based services health authorities have a continuing responsibility for residents of mental handicap hospitals and others for whom they have been providing social care. Changes in the current pattern of provision of services should be made only as part of an agreed strategy between the relevant health and local authorities.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken recently by her Department into the adequacy of day-care provision for adults with learning disabilities.
§ Mr. YeoThe Department's social services inspectorate carried out a national inspection of local authority clay services for people with learning disabilities and a copy of their report "Individuals Programmes and Plans" was published in 1989. It is available in the Library.