§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if, in view of the reliance placed by many local authorities on voluntary services to provide adequate community care, he will give special guidance to local authorities on sustaining psychiatric services in the voluntary sector;
(2) whether, in view of the difficulties encountered by local authorities and district health authorities in agreeing the terms for the transfer of resources in the event of psychiatric hospital closures, he will take steps to ensure proper provision for patients in need of transfer to the community.
§ Mr. John PattenGovernment action, through legislation and administrative decisions, has removed obstacles to the transfer of resources with patients moving out of pshychiatric and other long-stay hospitals into the community and guidance has been issued to health and local authorities. The attention of authorities has been drawn to the contribution the voluntary sector can make and the need to involve it as fully as possible. Further guidance is in preparation on the implementation of the new legislation, including the representation of voluntary organisations on the statutory joint consultative committees of health and local authorities. The provision of services appropriate to patients' needs is the responsibility of the authorities locally. It is for them to develop in the light of central guidance joint schemes linking health authority, local authority and voluntary resources appropriately, to bring about transfers where this is in the patients' interests, and to develop community care. If my hon. Friend will let me know of the difficulties to which he refers, I will look into the matter and write to him.