§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the total number of National Health Service patients in Northern Ireland each year are considered to be suffering from mental illness.
§ Mr. John PattenThis information is not held centrally. However, in 1981 a total of 11,499 patients were treated for mental illness in psychiatric hospitals or in psychiatric units in general hospitals. This represents 4.6 per cent. of all patients treated in hospitals in Northern Ireland in that year.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the total budget for the National Health Service in Northern Ireland is spent in caring for the mentally ill.
§ Mr. John PattenIt is not possible to identify accurately the expenditure on the programme of care for the mentally ill. However, it is estimated that approximately £35 million was spent on caring for the mentally ill as in-patients of hospitals and residents of hostels during 1980–81, representing some 10 per cent. of the £348 million expended by Boards during that year on direct caring services. This figure is based on the cost of accommodation and treatment of the mentally ill in institutions excluding the cost of administration and the family practitioner services. In addition, it does not take account of costs in the community health services, day and out-patient services, ambulance services and personal social services relating to the care of the mentally ill outside these institutions.