§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about regional variations in the use made of section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1959; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe available information for 1983 and 1984 is given in the following table. The information for earlier years was given in the reply by my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten) to the hon. Member on 24 January 1984 at column550.
Admissions under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 to Mental Illness and Mental Handicap Hospitals and Units in England Regional Health Authority Number 1983 1984 Northern 101 89 Yorkshire 11 6 Trent 23 22 East Anglian 20 19 North West Thames 555 477 North East Thames 478 571 South East Thames 320 369 South West Thames 290 345 Wessex 10 12 Oxford 2 1 South Western 11 10 West Midlands 12 10 Mersey 10 7 North Western 10 21 Special Health Authority Hospitals and Special Hospitals — — Totals 1,853 1,959 Notes:
1. During 1983 and 1984 there were no reported admissions under Section 136 to mental nursing homes.
2. Patients will have been counted more than once in a given year if re-admitted under Section 136 during that year.