§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what evaluation has been made by his Department of the contribution of qualified mental handicap nurses to the success of community care initiatives relating to mental handicap and the use of such qualified nurses by local services in these initiatives.
§ Mr. NewtonDepartmentally sponsored evaluations of community care initiatives for mentally handicapped people take account of the contribution by all categories of care and support staff. A recent survey of centrally funded schemes providing alternative health care in the community for long-stay children from mental handicap hospitals pays particular attention to the role of qualified mental handicap nurses, along with other care staff. A copy of this survey "Out of Hospital", by Anne Leonard, department of social policy and social work, University of York, will be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to trained mental handicap nurses.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Chief Nursing Officer's letter of 18 December 1985 (CNO(85)5), a copy of which has been placed in the Library, discusses the developing role of mental handicap nurses in the light of the shift to community care and the contribution they can make to the support of people in their own homes or in a range of residential and other settings in the community.