HC Deb 25 October 1994 vol 248 cc588-9W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding her policy on the treatment of long-term mental health patients.

Mr. Bowis

Various, from a variety of sources.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names and relevant district health authority of each of the residential psychiatric hospitals(a) closed since 1979 and (b) scheduled for future closure; and if she will give for each hospital (i) the date of actual and expected closure, (ii) the numbers of sectioned and voluntary patients in each prior to any run down, (iii) the sums received for completed sales and (c) the maximum number of doctors or qualified nurses employed since 1979.

Mr. Bowis

[holding answer 17 October 1994]: The information available centrally will be placed in the Library and has been compiled from data collected as part of the surveys of English mental health hospitals conducted on behalf of the mental health task force. Those surveys are confined to the 130 long stay "water tower" hospitals which were open on 31 December 1960 and information is not held on other psychiatric hospitals which may have closed or be scheduled for closure.

Information has not been collected centrally on the numbers and status of patients in the long-stay hospitals before run down or on receipts from particular land sales.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effects of the weighted capitation formula on mental health services in inner city areas such as Leeds, with particular reference to the effect of the absence of any weighting for social deprivation; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Bowls

A review of weighted capitation has taken place and the national formula is to be modified in a number of respects to take account of new information and better statistical techniques. The sensitivity of the formula has been improved by including a separate index of the factors which affect the need for psychiatric services. This modified formula will be applied to regions in 1995–96.