Mental Health (Hansard, 14 April 1999)

§ Ms Julie Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the total NHS budget in Wales was allocated to mental health services in each of the last three years.[80194]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones
The figures are as follows:

1996–97: 4.7 per cent.

1997–98: 3.4 per cent.

1998–99: 3.3 per cent.

These figures represent the funds specifically allocated from within the NHS Total to mental health services which includes mental illness and learning disability services. In 1997–98, some £30 million spent on local 287W authority strategies (representing 1.3 per cent. of the NHS Total) was transferred recurrently into the local authority revenue settlement. In addition to these amounts, Health Authorities will commission mental health services from within their discretionary funding allocations.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

§ Ms Julie Morgan
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of inequalities in mental health treatment affecting members of the (i) black and (ii) other ethnic minority communities in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [80189]

Mr. Jon Owen Jones
There has been no specific assessment and there is some doubt as to whether the numbers of ethnic minority mental health patients in Wales gives a sufficient base for robust findings. We shall consider the needs of ethnic minority patients when drawing our plans for future Strategies on both child and adolescent and adult mental health services.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

Mental illness 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98

NHS hospitals:

In-patient cases 17,033 18,182 18,376 17,841 17,588

Out-patient first attendances ¹— 18,552 18,624 18,545 21,589

NHS day hospitals—first attendances 5,670 7,127 4,846 5,705 5,580

Persons seen by community psychiatric nurses² 24,230 26,419 26,801 32,681 33,932

¹ Not available

² First contacts in the financial year

Following the transfer of functions this will be a matter for the National Assembly.

Mental illness	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98
NHS hospitals:
In-patient cases	17,033	18,182	18,376	17,841	17,588
Out-patient first attendances	¹—	18,552	18,624	18,545	21,589
NHS day hospitals—first attendances	5,670	7,127	4,846	5,705	5,580
Persons seen by community psychiatric nurses²	24,230	26,419	26,801	32,681	33,932
¹ Not available
² First contacts in the financial year