§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many adults have been discharged from institutions for the mentally ill in each of the past three years; if he is satisfied that they are receiving adequate community care and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to his reply, 24 November 1983, c. 295–6]: The information on discharges is given in the following table. This includes discharges of patients admitted to hospital for short periods as well as discharges of patients who had been long-term residents. In 1981 less than 3 per cent. of the patients discharged had a length of stay greater than one year.
426W
Mental illness hospitals and units. Discharges of patients aged 16 and over. Number 1979 156,284 1980 166,399 1981 171,788 The rise in the number of discharges was matched by a similar rise in the number of admissions. Heath and local authorities are both aware of the need to ensure that patients are not discharged without appropriate arrangements for after-care, in which health and local authorities need to work closely together. I believe that in general they are doing so. The right hon. Member may like to know that at a meeting earlier this month between my right hon. and learned Friend and the Association of Municipal Authorities, the Association of County Councils, the London Boroughs Association, and the National Association of Health Authorities, my hon. and learned Friend agreed to a proposal for a joint working group to consider the joint planning arrangements between health and local authorities and how these might be improved. Most discharged patients return to their own homes, but some enter local authority voluntary or private residential care, and regulations under the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983, coming into force early next year, should help local authorities to ensure satisfactory standards of care are provided in private residential accommodation.