§ Mr. Roderickasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance he issues to local authorities designed to ensure that their departments of social services co-ordinate the work of social workers and health visitors in the field of mental health, to ensure that health visitors are involved in after-care of patients at home.
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§ Sir K. JosephMy Department's circular letters LASSL 33/71 and LASSL 39/71, issued in August 1971, drew the attention of local social services authorities to the importance of close working relationships at all levels between the staff of the newly-established social service departments and those of health departments. As I told the hon. Member in my reply to him on 11th June a forthcoming circular to local authorities about services for the mentally ill will emphasise the importance of a team approach on the part of the caring professions. This was also stressed in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" (Cmnd. 4683) published in 1971.—[Vol. 857, c.266.]