§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the use of(a) art and (b) counselling in the care and treatment of those with mental health problems. [58312]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Department has made no assessment of the use of art therapy and counselling either alone or in comparison with other treatments or services. However, creative arts therapy is increasingly recognised as a valuable treatment for people with a range of problems, including mental health problems. It offers an opportunity for expression and communication and can be particularly helpful to those individuals who find it hard to express their feelings verbally. The art therapist may work as part of a team in both primary and specialised health and social care settings. Equally, counselling, like psychotherapy, is offered within the national health service by a large number of both medical and non-medical staff in primary and specialised care settings and has been shown in a number of independent trials to make an important contribution to the treatment of common mental disorders.
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expenditure was in(a) Manchester, (b) Salford and (c) Trafford on mental health services in each of the past five years. [56934]
§ Jacqui SmithThe expenditure on mental health services in the Manchester, Salford and Trafford areas over the past five years is shown in the table.
312W
£000 Manchester health health authority area Salford and Trafford health authority area 1996–97 37,596 27,653 1997–98 36,853 26,570 1998–99 39,867 27,580 1999–2000 43,425 33,093 2000–01 44,949 35,623 Notes:
1. "Salford and Trafford" was formerly one health authority and data cannot be subdivided.
2. Data relates to expenditure in the two health authority areas (Manchester, Salford and Trafford) on the purchase of secondary health care—mental illness for the five years from 1996–97 to 2000–01, which is the latest year for which information is available.
3. The 2000–01 figures include expenditure by primary care trusts within the relevant health authority area, to enable comparison.
Sources:
Annual accounts of the Manchester, and Salford and Trafford, health authorities 1996–97 to 1998–99
Summarisation forms of the Manchester, and Salford and Trafford, health authorities 1999–2000 and 2000–01
Summarisation schedules of the primary care trusts within the Manchester, and Salford and Trafford, health authority areas 2000–01