HC Deb 28 November 1988 vol 142 cc120-2W
Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list(a) the discharges and (b) the deaths by length of stay, including percentage change in numbers and percentage distribution, of patients suffering from schizophrenia psychoses in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Needham

The information requested is as set out:

diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last year; and how many were admitted for a hospital stay more than once during the year.

Mr. Needham

The information requested is as follows:

Number
Discharges during 1987 935
Patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals more than once during 1987 159

Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many people discharged from hospital following a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses and subsequently taken by the police under the Mental Health Act to hospital have been refused admission in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr. Needham

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost from each of the psychiatric units in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research projects his Department is funding in the current year to test the effectiveness of community care for people suffering from schizophrenia psychoses; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Needham

None.

Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses were discharged from mental illness hospitals in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and how many of them were taken into local authority residential care.

Mr. Needham

Information requested on discharges is as set out:

Year Number of discharges
1987 935
1986 981
1985 1,120
1984 1,096
1983 1,037

Information on the number of discharged patients taken into statutory residential care is not available centrally.

Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many of those convicted of crimes in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years had previously been admitted to National Health Service mental hospitals with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses.

Mr. Ian Stewart

The information sought is not available in the form requested. However, in Northern Ireland the number of offenders who were made subject to restriction orders under article 47 of the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 and were thereby detained in hospital for treatment for schizophrenia pychoses in each of the last two years was as follows:

Number
1986 3
1987 1

Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much was spent in Northern Ireland in the last year on the care and treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia; and what percentage that figure represented of total expenditure on(a) mental and (b) all health services;

(2) what is the current annual cost per patient to the National Health Service in Northern Ireland of the care and treatment of patients with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses;

(3) what information he has as to how many people discharged from mental illness hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last year after a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses having been proved vulnerable homeless subsequently became voluntary homeless.

Mr. Needham

The information is not available.

Mr. Goodlad

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received in the last year on the provision of community care for patients suffering from schizophrenia psychoses discharged from National Health Service mental hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Needham

The director of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship has written to me seeking my support for early-day motions concerning hospital closures and the provision of appropriate community services for sufferers from schizophrenia who have been discharged from hospital. I replied explaining that no hospital closures were planned in Northern Ireland and that additional community services were being developed to support the needs of discharged patients. I stressed the importance of active co-operation between the statutory and voluntary sectors in creating the necessary community services.