§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of those convicted of crimes in Scotland in each of the last five years have ever been admitted to National Health Service mental illness hospitals and units with a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThis information is not available.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much was spent by his Department in each of the last five years on the care and treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia; and what percentage each figure was of total expenditure on (a) mental and (b) all health services;
(2) what is the current annual cost overall and per patient to his Department's health and social security budget of the treatment of patients with a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythHealth boards and local authorities and local authorities are encouraged to give high priority to the provision of services for the mentally ill but it is for these agencies to determine their own spending from their general allocations according to their perception of need. Information about spending on specific forms of mental illness is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how much his Department spent on research into schizophrenia in each of the last five years; and what proportion each figure was of expenditure on the health service research programme;
(2) what research projects his Department has landed to test the effectiveness of community care for people suffering from schizophrenic psychosis; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Scottish home and health department is at present funding two research projects directly related to schizophrenia. Research into schizophrenia is an integral part of more widely based programmes of research into mental disorder and it is not possible to identify separately the total amount of research into schizophrenia alone.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people with a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland in each of the last five years; and how many of them were taken into local authority residential care in the same year.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythInformation about the diagnosis of patients discharged from hospitals may be obtained from "Scottish Mental Health In-Patient Statistics", which is available in the library. Statistics are not collected centrally on the number of people suffering from specific mental illnesses who are provided with local authority residential care.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds have been specifically earmarked for the care of the mentally ill following the closure of mental hospitals in Scotland in the last year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythNo mental illness hospital has been closed in Scotland in the last year.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the provision of community care for patients suffering from schizophrenic psychosis discharged from National Health Service mental illness hospitals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythMy right hon. and learned Friend receives representations from time to time on different aspects of providing community care but none of those made recently have related to persons discharged from hospital care provided for specific forms of mental illness We have consistently made it clear that we are committed to a policy of care in the community for such groups as the mentally ill where such care is appropriate.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many people discharged from hospital following a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis and subsequently taken by the police under section to hospitals in Scotland have been refused admission in each of the last five years;
(2) if he will list for each of the last five years in Scotland how many people discharged from mental illness hospitals after a main diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis, having. been proved vulnerable, homeless, subsequently became voluntary homeless.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThis information is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Goodladasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance his Department gives to mental illness hospitals on the retention of patients whose condition is unlikely to improve; and what is the current policy of each hospital in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythDecisions about the treatment of patients involve issues of clinical judgment, and central 489W guidance would not be appropriate. Information to answer the second part of the question is not held centrally.