§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how much money was made available by the Government for local authorities to provide for those suffering from mental illness in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985;
(2) how much money was spent by each local authority in providing care for those suffering from mental illness in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985 specifying the sum spent authority by authority.
989W
§ Mrs. CurrieThe Government do not allocate money to local authorities specifically for expenditure on services for mentally ill people. General support for expenditure is provided through the rate support grant system and it is for local authorities to determine levels of spending on specific services in the light of local circumstances and priorities within the overall framework of relevant Government policies and plans.
Some information about annual expenditure by individual local authorities on services for mentally ill people and figures on the numbers of places made available in day centres and residential accommodation by local authorities are published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy each year in "Personal Social Services Statistics: Actuals", copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were readmitted to mental institutions within (a) 0 to one month, (b) one to three months, (e) three to six months, (d) six to 12 months, (e) one to two years and (f) two to three years of their original release in each of the years 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.
§ Mrs. CurrieI am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks as it is not available centrally. The hon. Member might like to write to the chairman of the regional health authority for the geographical area of his interest for further information.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received regarding female psychiatric patients.
§ Mrs. CurrieWe are not aware of any such recent representations. We are in close consultation with the regional health authorities concerning provision of psychiatric services for women and men in their regions.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received regarding the standard of community care for those released from mental institutions.
§ Mrs. CurrieWe continue to receive a large number of representations about community care for mentally disordered people reflecting a very natural concern, which my right hon. Friend shares, that community care services should be comprehensive, flexible, accessible and acceptable. These concerns were well illustrated in the second report from the Social Services Committee published in January 1985, and in the Government response to that report. We pursue these concerns in the context of ministerial reviews with chairmen of regional health authorities and in other ways.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women were admitted to mental institutions in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe table shows the numbers of admissions of women to National Health Service mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units in England. Some women may have been admitted more than once during a year.
990W
Admissions of women to mental illness and mental handicap hospitals and units in England Year Mental illness Mental handicap 1980 107,045 8,441 1981 110,551 9,876 1982 108,386 11,076 1983 110,668 13,837 1984 111,936 15,712 1985 116,429 17,281
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money was spent on mental institutions in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.
§ Mrs. CurrieCosting returns submitted by health authorities in England show their total current expenditure on hospitals categorised as mental illness and mental handicap as:
Year Mental illness £ million Mental handicap £ million 1979–80 486.8 261.8 1980–81 625.0 339.2 1981–82 682.3 373.3 1982–83 718.4 399.8 1983–84 748.4 418.2 1984–85 788.8 440.7
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were accommodated in mental institutions in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe information requested is given in the table:
Resident Patients at 31 December in National Health Service menial illness and mental handicap hospitals and units in England Year Mental illness Number Mental handicap Number 1980 74,830 44,440 1981 73,170 43,090 1982 70,880 41,710 1983 69,030 40,170 1984 66,050 38,370 1985 63,970 36,340