§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with the rate of increase in group homes in the community for the mentally handicapped;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of children and adults, respectively, in subnormality hospitals who require little or no medical care and could be satisfactorily supported in small group homes if these were available.
§ Mr. EnnalsOpinions differ, even among the experts, on the extent to which mentally handicapped people require medical, nursing or other skills which it is the function of hospitals to provide. It is therefore impossible to make a reliable estimate of the number of people who could be satisfactorily supported in the community—in small group homes or in other ways—if facilities were available.
However, there is no disagreement that many of those now in hospital could be maintained in the community, with support. For planning purposes the Government's target is progressively to provide a sufficient range of facilities in the community, including group homes, to permit a reduction in the number of available hospital beds from the 1974 figure of 55,000 to about 33,000 by 1991, of which 26,500 would be for adults. The Government attach high priority to maintaining the rate of progress towards this target.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children and adults, respectively, have been discharged from sub-normality hospitals in each of the last five years (a) to their own families, (b) to group homes run by local 491W authorities, health authorities or voluntary organisations and (c) elsewhere;
(2) what is his estimate of the number of mentally handicapped children and adults, respectively, who are living in small group homes run by (a) local authorities, (b) health authorities and (c) voluntary organisations.
§ Mr. EnnalsInformation is not available centrally on the number of mentally handicapped people in group homes as distinct from other residential accommodation. I can provide information on the numbers of mentally handicapped people living in local authority residential accommodation generally and in homes run by voluntary and private bodies if my hon. Friend so wishes.
Nor is information available centrally about the number of people discharged from mental handicap hospitals specifically to their own families or to group homes. Patients on discharge are recommended to various forms of after care, including day patient treatment, outpatient treatment, social services care generally and guardianship, and many will of course return to live with their families.
The numbers of discharges from mental handicap hospitals and units in England over the five years from 1971–75 were as follows:
Children under 15 People 15 and over Total discharges 1971 4,667 6,270 10,937 1972 4,508 7,213 11,721 1973 4,436 6,884 11,320 1974 4,822 7,134 11,956 1975 4,977 7,868 12,845
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children and adults, respectively, in subnormality hospitals are in wards of (a) 50 or more people and (b) 30 or more people.
§ Mr. EnnalsIn mental handicap hospitals and units in England in 1974, the latest date for which figures are available, the distribution of beds was as follows:
492W
Number of beds for children Number of beds for adults (a) Wards of 50 beds or more None 5,203 (b) Wards of 30 beds or more (including those under (a)) 1,045 26,678 Many of these large wards are subdivided into dormitories. In 1974 there were no dormitories for children of more than 30 beds. There was one dormitory for adults of more than 50 beds and there were 3,778 beds in dormitories for adults of more than 30 beds.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children and adults, respectively, were resident in subnormality hospitals at the last date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. EnnalsIt is estimated that on 31st December 1974, the latest date for which figures are available, there were some 4,450 children under 15, 4,200 people aged between 15 and 19 and 41,900 people of 20 and over resident in mental handicap hospitals and units in England.