HC Deb 02 March 1976 vol 906 cc533-5W
Mr. Moonman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what directions and guidelines have been provided to the expressed per thousand families in each area.

area health authorities on the provision of day hospital places and available beds for mentally ill adults in the county of Essex and in East Anglia, respectively.

Dr. Owen

As I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White) on 19th February, the Government's long-term strategy was published recently in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally I11" (Cmnd 6233). The intention is to replace at the pace resources allow, the present provision, which is still largely based on the mental hospitals, by a comprehensive network of local district based services, provided by local as well as health authorities. The White Paper suggests provisional guidelines: including 65 day hospital places per 100,000 population and 50 in-patient beds per 100,000 population in district general hospital psychiatric departments. Progress towards the implementation of the new pattern of services in each region and area will also depend on local circumstances, including the state of development of existing services.

The North-East Thames Regional Health Authority gave its areas general guidance last year for improving and rationalising certain services, including those for the mentally ill, in 1976–77 and is at present preparing more specific guidelines for 1977–78. The East Anglia Regional Health Authority has recently

Grades Staff in post in Social Security local offices National pay scales
Principal 225 £5,680 to £7,450 per annum
Senior Executive Officer 542 £4,900 to £5,900 per annum
Higher Executive Officer 2,376 £3,900 to £4,700 per annum
Local Officer I 14,586 £1,885 to £3,770 per annum
Executive Officer 87 £1,885 to £3,670 per annum
Local Officer II 32,168 £1,200 to £2,640 per annum
Clerical Officer 35 £1,200 to £2,540 per annum
Clerical Assistant 8,242 £20.45 to £37.30 per week
Senior Superintendent of Typists 7 £2,505 to £3,205 per annum
Superintendent of Typists 29 £2,195 to £2,825 per annum
Typists 1,239 £20.25 to £40.50 per week
Radiographer 1 £2,142 to £2,811 per annum
Medical Board Assistants 13 £34.72 to £35.94 per week
Telephonists 41 £20.51 to £37.30 per week
Messengers 440 £32.60 to £37.30 per week