§ Mr. Weetchasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients are currently being treated for heroin and other hard drug addiction in each health authority in the East Anglia region; and what have been the comparable figures in the last five years.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation is not collected centrally in precisely the form requested but the information in the table may be of help to the hon. Member. The chairmen of the respective district health authorities may be able to supply the hon. Member with further information.
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District Health Authority 1977 1978 *1979 *1980 *1981 *†1982 West Norfolk and Wisbech (formerly Kin's Lynn) 4 1 Nil 1 Nil Nil Huntingdon (formerly part of Cambridge and Peterborough) — — — — — Nil Total 62 63 36 32 31 28 * The figures from 1979 may not be precisely comparable with the figures for earlier years because of changes in the coding system used. † Because of NHS reorganisation in 1982 some district figures may not be directly comparable with those for earlier years.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to set up or allocate resources for the setting up of hard drug addiction units in health regions; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenIt is for health authorities to assess local needs, decide on appropriate services, determine priorities and provide resources from within their allocations. As stated in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Sir B. Braine) on 6 June at column200 my right hon. Friend attaches high priority to improving services for drug misusers and has asked health authorities to report back by December on their plans for tackling the problem urgently.
A central fund of £6 million has additionally been made available for projects to improve services for drug misusers. Over £5 million has already been allocated for 81 projects.
§ Mrs. Peacockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of hospital beds set aside for the rehabilitation of drug addicts in each health area; and if he will estimate the total number of heroin addicts in each area who rely on these facilities.
§ Mr. John PattenInformation is not collected centrally in precisely the form requested. The latest available information on beds for the treatment of drug addicts is given in the table. The figures refer only to those beds reported as being in distinct units or wards and thus exclude available beds which are located in general psychiatric wards. Estimates of the number of heroin addicts in each regional health authority are not available centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairmen of the respective health authorities for further information. The latest available information on numbers of narcotic drug addicts notified to the Home Office, analysed by police force area, is included in table 15 of the report entitled "Statistics on the Misuse of Drugs, United Kingdom, Supplementary Tables, 1982" copies of which are in the Library.
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Beds reported as available in special in-patient units and wards in mental illness hospitals and units in England at 31 December 1982 Regional Health Authority Drug Addiction Joint Alcoholism/Drug Addiction Northern nil 18 Yorkshire nil 12 Trent nil 16 East Anglian nil nil North West Thames nil 57 North East Thames nil nil South East Thames 46 nil South West Thames nil nil Wessex nil nil Oxford 11 nil South Western nil nil West Midlands nil 27 Mersey nil 28
Regional Health Authority Drug Addiction Joint Alcoholism/Drug Addiction North Western 6 nil Special Health Authorities 21 nil Total 84 158