§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions have been held with voluntary bodies concerning the involvement of families in the care of the mentally ill.
§ Mr. WhitneyThis Government are committed to the close involvement of the families of people suffering from a mental disorder in decisions concerning their care and in the planning of relevant services. The Department has regular contact with a wide variety of voluntary bodies active in the mental illness field. We are currently funding nineteen organisations directly involved and are in contact with others that we do not: fund. During the many exchanges we have with this wide range of organisations, the involvement of families is a topic that arises on many occasions. We frequently use those occasions to repeat our commitment to family care, which for many people is the essence of community care.