§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she has taken hitherto to deal with the 1,300 mentally ill or mentally handicapped who have been discharged from hospitals and are placed in boarding houses on the south coast without adequate supervision and care; and if she will now set up a working party to examine this practice and other examples of patient dumping.
§ Dr. OwenI am looking into the situation in the Thanet and Birmingham areas, and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as my investigations are complete. I am considering with others concerned whether fresh guidance is needed about hospital discharge procedure.
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps she is taking to improve the education and training of mentally handicapped persons aged 16 years and over (a) nationally and (b) in Essex.
§ Dr. OwenIn answer to (a) I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 30th March.
I understand that steady progress is being made in Essex towards a target of over 2,000 places in adult training centres by 1983. Two new centres each for 100 persons were opened in 1975 at Clacton and Harlow and work should start soon 60W on a further 100 place centre at Eastwood. A small unit providing for the handicapped needing special care should be opened shortly.—[Vol. 908, c. 458.]
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of places available for mentally handicapped persons in adult training centres in Essex; what is the number of such persons currently waiting for admission; and what is the average waiting time.
§ Dr. OwenThere are 10 centres providing 985 designed places. By effective utilisation 1,022 trainees are accommodated. No adults are currently waiting for admission, but 22 places will soon be required for school leavers. Waiting time is usually only a few weeks.