§ Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health whether he will now give a date for the publication of the Report of the Working Party on the Special Hospitals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PowellThe report is published today. Its main recommendations are as follows:
- 1. All three Special Hospitals should be used for patients with dangerous, violent or criminal propensities, whether they have been before the courts or not.
- 2. Patients in these Hospitals should be grouped according to their medical needs and there should be greater specialisation.
I accept these recommendations and am considering the rearrangements which will be necessary at the Hospitals.
3. Patients should be accepted for admission to the Special Hospitals only after other possibilities have been carefully examined and found to be unsuitable.
4. To reduce the need for admissions to the Special Hospitals, Regional Hospital Boards should arrange their psychiatric services so as to provide various types of hospital unit, including some secure units.
I accept these recommendations. Hospital authorities have been asked to implement No. 4, and will be advised on the steps they should take to enable me to implement No. 3.
86W5. Diagnostic and treatment centres should be provided within the National Health Service for patients who present exceptional difficulty because of their aggressive, anti-social or criminal tendencies combined with special problems of diagnosis, treatment and management. One or two such centres should be provided initially, to gain experience.
I am discussing the establishment of such centres with certain regional hospital boards.