§ Ms CoffeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the current arrangements for monitoring the special hospitals. [17823]
§ Mr. Burns[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The current arrangements for monitoring the three high security hospitals are set out in an NHS executive document, "High Secure Psychiatric Services: Changes in Funding and Organisation", which was published in June 1995. Monitoring procedures are regularly reviewed. The hospitals are also regularly visited by the Mental Health Act Commission, whose responsibilities are well set out in the Mental Health Act.