HC Deb 13 November 1978 vol 958 cc99-102W
Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to publish a White Paper on the working of the legislation on mental health.

Mr. Harry Ewing

My right hon. Friend hopes to publish a discussion paper as early as possible in 1979 following a review now being undertaken of Scottish mental health legislation.

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the total nursing staff in National Health Service hospitals is engaged exclusively in the care of the mentally ill or handicapped; what this represents in terms of nursing staff per 100 patients; and what are the comparable figures for all other patients in general hospitals.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Twenty-four per cent., which represents 51 nursing staff per 100 patients. The comparable figures for general hospitals are 66.7 per cent. and 128, respectively.

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of National Health Service beds is occupied by mentally ill or mentally handicapped persons; and what percentage of total consultants works with such patients.

Mr. Harry Ewing

The percentages are 45.5 and 12.5, respectively.

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing the names and ages of all mental hospitals, the number of wards in each with more than 50 beds, the progress made in replacing these hospitals and eliminating such large wards in the last decade, and capital investment plans for the next five years.

Mr. Harry Ewing

A list of the mental hospitals in Scotland showing the date of the original building is given below but the dates quoted are of limited significance since virtually all of these hospitals have been substantially improved and extended since they were first opened. Information about the size of wards is not available centrally. Much of the upgrading and new building carried out since 1948 has been undertaken specifically to reduce over-crowding and to provide smaller ward units.

Future health service capital investment plans for major building schemes were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland in the House on 2nd May 1977 and included a number of schemes to improve the mental health services in Scotland. In addition, health boards finance smaller schemes from their ordinary capital programme allocations.

Health Board and Hospital Date of original building
Argyll and Clyde Health Board
Argyll and Bute Hospital 1868
Broadfield Hospital 1870
Ravenscraig Hospital 1879
Ardmhor House 1900
Caldwell House Hospital 1900
(converted 1928)
Dykebar Hospital 1905
Elderslie House 1887
Merchiston House 1880
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
Dunlop House 1933
Ravenspark Hospital 1847
Ailsa Hospital 1869
Borders Health Board
Dingleton Hospital 1872
Dumfries and Galloway Health Board
Crichton Royal Hospital 1839
Fife Health Board
Glenlomond Hospital 1919
Lynebank Hospital 1965
Stratheden Hospital 1866
Forth Valley Health Board
Bellsdyke Hospital 1870
Muirfield House 1937
Royal Scottish National Hospital 1835
Grampian Health Board
Ladysbridge Hospital 1861
House of Davio[...] 1888
Kingseat Hospital 1904
Royal Cornhill Hospital 1800
(approx.)
Ross Clinic 1958
Woodlands Hospital 1931
(converted 1948)
Bilbohall Hospital 1835

Health Board and Hospital Date of original building
Greater Glasgow Health Board
Gartnavel Royal Hospital 1843
Gartloch Hospital 1896
Lennox Castle Hospital 1876
Stoneyetts Hospital 1900
(approx)
Waverley Park Hospital 1900
Woodilee Hospital 1875
Leverndale Hospital 1890
Highland Health Board
Craig Dunain Hospital 1870
Craig Phadrig Hospital 1969
Dunain House 1890
Lanarkshire Health Board
Bellefield Hospital 1890
(converted 1914)
Birkwood Hospital 1870
(approx.)
Hartwood Hospital 1895
Kirklands Hospital 1850
Lothian Health Board
East Fortune Hospital 1922
Herdmanflat Hospital 1866
Gogarburn Hospital 1934
Rosslynlee Hospital 1813
Royal Edinburgh Hospital 1813
Bangour Village Hospital 1904
Tayside Health Board
Royal Dundee Liff Hospital 1880
Strathmartine Hospital 1901
Sunnyside Royal Hospital 1858
Murray Royal Hospital 1827
Murthly Hospital 1864
Notes:
1. Includes mental illness and mental handicap hospitals.
2. Excludes hospitals with which health boards have contractual arrangements.

Salary as at 1st April 1973* Salary as at 1st, 4pril 1978†
Qualified Nurse—
Ward sister £1,515-£1,947 £3,324-£4,299
Staff nurse £1,191-£1,404 £2,646-£3,255
Enrolled nurse £1.056-£1,236 £2,370-£2,886
Unqualified Nurse—
Nursing auxiliary £912-£1,092 £2,07-£2,454
* Long service increments were also payable to nurses who had spent three years on their maximum at the following rater:—

£
Ward sister 90
Staff nurse 84
Enrolled nurse 72
Nursing auxiliary/assistant 60
† with effect from 1st April 1978, all nurses are paid an earnings supplement of £130 per annum in addition to these salary scales.

Mr. Reid

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage drop in salary for a ward sister, a staff nurse, a qualified nurse and an auxiliary nurse

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the weekly cost of feeding a patient in a mental hospital; and what is the comparable figure in a general hospital.

Mr. Harry Ewing

In 1976–77, the latest year for which figures are available the average sum spent on provisions at psychiatric hospitals was £4.68 per patient week and at all hospitals other than psychiatric £5.37 per week.

These averages conceal a wide range of costs for individual hospitals, from £3.54 to £6.34 for psychiatric hospitals and from £2.96 to over £8 for other hospitals. These variations reflect local circumstances; it seems likely that the lower average costs in psychiatric and long-stay hospitals reflects also factors such as the lower turnover of patients, the higher occupancy rate, the age of the patients and the generally lower levels of physical activity in these hospitals.

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