§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance his Department gives to the special hospitals on: (a) the use of isolation on behavioural criteria, (b) the length of time spent in isolation without prior referral to the Department of Health and Social Security, (c) the required supervision of
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Region Former "Secretary of State" Members Former "Trades Council" Members Others* Total (a) (b (c) Northern … 14 1 5 20 Yorkshire and Humberside … 20 6 2 28 East Midlands and East Anglia … 19 — 5 24 London (North) … 17 1 1 19 London (South) … 18 — 6 24 London (West) … 14 3 1 18 Southwestern … 33 6 2 41 West Midlands … 12 2 4 18 North West (Manchester) … 14 — 1 15 Merseyside … 17 1 3 21 Wales … 24 5 — 29 Scotland … 30 10 4 44 Totals … 232 35 34 301 * The 34 chairmen at (c) were either directly appointed as chairmen or had service prior to 1966 when the Supplementary Benefits Scheme came into operation. patients in isolation by medical, nursing and other professional staff, (d) the exercise periods for those in isolation, (e) the association of those in isolation with staff and other patients, and (f) standards for toilet facilities and sanitation.
§ Mr. MoyleNo specific guidance has been issued by my Department on these matters. The decision to separate a patient from others for a time or to confine him to a single room as part of his care and treatment, or for security reasons, is a matter of clinical judgment and as such is not appropriate for guide-ance from my Department. I accept that there may be a need for guidance on certain aspects and will consider this in the light of the conclusions of the European Commission on Human Rights following its investigation into the complaint made by a patient at Broadmoor Hospital.