§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will outline his Department's policy in providing art and music therapy services in the community; and what arrangements the Department is making to transfer funds or provide resources for such therapists in the community.
(2) what plans there are to establish therapy and paramedical centres in the community for mentally ill or mentally handicapped people in order to prevent them being admitted or readmitted to large institutions or hospitals.
§ Mr. WhitneyIt is for health authorities and social services authorities jointly to plan local services for mentally ill and mentally handicapped people, including increasing community provision designed to reduce the need to admit people to in-patient care. In general it is for those authorities to decide what facilities and professional staff they will provide within their services, and details are not centrally available, but I am aware that a number of authorities make good use of art and music therapy.
§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many music and art therapists are employed in the community.
§ Mr. WhitneyInformation on the number of art and music therapists employed in the community is not collected centrally.
§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken to ensure that professional standards and requirements for employment of music and art therapists as outlined in PM(82)6 are being applied in the community.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe standards and professional requirements in art and music therapists who are employed by health authorities and who are working in the community are set out in PM(82)6. Responsibility for determining appropriate standards for such therapists employed in the community services of local authorities is a matter for the local authority concerned.
§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many residents discharged from mental illness or mental handicap hospitals, over the last five years, who were given art or music therapy whilst in hospital, do not receive this treatment in the community.
§ Mr. WhitneyThis information is not collected centrally.