§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether his Department will bring forward proposals for the implementation of the recommendations of the review of Rampton hospital (1980 report) in respect of the financial claims of consultant psychiatrists attending or reporting to mental health review tribunals; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether his Department will carry out the proposals contained in paragraph 16.2.4 of the review of Rampton hospital to ensure that all responsible medical officers involved with mental health review tribunals are covered by such proposals.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeChapter 16 of the Boynton report—Cmnd. 8073—concluded that consultants in Rampton hospital and the other special hospitals were financially disadvantaged compared with other consultant psychiatrists and to remedy this recommended, in paragraph 16.2.4, that fees should be paid to responsible medical officers for reporting to and appearing before mental health review tribunals. I do not feel this would be the best way of dealing with this problem and have instead offered to pay a special additional allowance to responsible medical officers employed in the special hospitals. I hope this offer will soon be accepted.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will estimate the additional number of mental health review tribunals which are expected to be required following the enactment of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIf the provisions of the Bill are enacted, the best estimate I can offer is that the number of mental health review tribunal hearings could rise from 904 in 1980 to around 4,500 a year.