§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department issues any guidance to regional health authorities on the definition of short-stay for people in mental handicap hospitals.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe duration of short-stay care must depend on the need of the individual and his family and we do not define how long that period should be.
§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria were used to estimate the figure of 15,000 mentally handicapped people in long-stay hospitals who could be discharged into the community, referred to in the consultative document "Care in the Community"; and what progress has been made in identifying further residents who could be transferred.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThis estimate is based on information collected by the development team for the mentally handicapped, which indicates that about 15,000 residents in hospital are fully mobile and continent with no behavioural problems, and able to feed, wash and dress themselves, and that many others, although less capable, could be discharged into community care with further training. It is for health and local authorities to identify in the light of individual needs and the facilities available which residents could be transferred.
§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what form of monitoring his Department carries out on the transfer of mentally handicapped residents from hospital into the community.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeProgress is monitored in a number of ways. The Department's routinely collected statistics provide information on a year-by-year basis on reductions in the numbers of people in mental handicap hospitals and on increases in accommodation in the community. This information is supplemented in other ways, including visits to authorities by the development team for the mentally handicapped and by departmental officials. The annual ministerial reviews of regional health authorities also provide an opportunity for us to look at authorities' progress in bringing about the shift to community care.
§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children under 16 years, who were previously resident in mental handicap hospitals, have been discharged since 1980;
430W(2) how many adults who were previously resident in mental handicap hospitals have been discharged since 1980;
(3) how many adults and children respectively are resident in mental handicap hospitals in England and Wales;
(4) how many children under the age of 16 years were admitted to long-stay hospitals in each regional health authority in the last 12 months;
(5) how many adults have been admitted to long-stay subnormality hospitals in each regional health authority in the last 12 months.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI shall write to my hon. Friend with this information as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department issues any guidance to regional health authorities on rehabilitation of profoundly mentally handicapped residents in hospitals into appropriate community provision.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Department has not issued guidance on this matter, but the advice of the development team for the mentally handicapped is available to authorities on this as on all other matters concerning services for mentally handicapped people. However, day services for profoundly mentally handicapped people are included in the study which in December 1980 the then Secretary of State for Social Services asked a team of officials from the Department to undertake on the needs of mentally handicapped people with additional disabilities or problems. This study is nearing completion and will be distributed to authorities later this year.
§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many schemes have been approved under the pound for pound matching funds for voluntary organisations to establish projects for transferring mentally handicapped children out of long-stay hospitals; how many children are involved; and if he has any plans to extend the scheme.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeFour schemes have so far been approved which it is hoped will eventually enable 40 children to leave hospital. A number of other schemes are under consideration and we see no need to extend the scheme at present.