§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is in a position to make a statement about the extent and variation in the use of electro-convulsive therapy in hospitals in England and Wales; and what information his Department receives from hospitals concerning its use.
§ Sir George YoungIn 1978 the Department agreed to make a grant to the Royal College of Psychiatrists for a research investigation into the present use of electro-convulsive therapy in England. Work on this survey is in progress and will provide valuable information on this subject.
Hospital authorities were also asked in October 1978 to provide electro-convulsive therapy statistics from 1979 onwards but to provide such data for 1978 if available. Some information is available for 1978 but this is incomplete as a number of hospitals were unable to supply figures; I am therefore not in a position to make a statement. Hospitals are now beginning to send in their 1979 returns and I hope the general picture will be available in the later half of this year. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the 1979 return form.