§ 58. Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that adequate arrangements exist for handling the problems of neighbours during the rehabilitation of ex-patients of psychiatric institutions.
§ Mr. John PattenThe great majority of people discharged from mental illness hospitals return to their former homes and present no particular problems for their neighbours. The comparatively few who are discharged to a new life, and who may still be undergoing rehabilitation, need all the help and understanding they can get. If discharge is properly planned and carried out, problems with neighbours need not arise.
Where problems do arise we expect them to be settled as between citizens of equal rights. But our experience is that actual problems, as distinct from forebodings, are 115W infrequent, and it should be remembered that people who have been in mental illness hospitals have a right to confidentiality.