§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in meeting the 1991 targets for provision for mentally handicapped people outlined in Command 4683, "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped"; and what changes he expects to occur in the next three years;
(2) what progress has been made in meeting the 1991 targets, by health and social services authority, for provision for mentally handicapped people outlined in Command 4683, "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped"; and what changes he expects to occur in the next three years.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe "targets" set in the 1971 White Paper were intended to be guidelines to the statutory authorities on the scale of provision necessary to provide better services for mentally handicapped people. The movement to community care and changes in thinking on the best form of provision have now made the guidelines less useful.
Substantial progress has been made in expanding provision for mentally handicapped people, including support to the majority of mentally handicapped people who live at home, and increased residential provision for those who cannot, while the numbers living in NHS hospitals continue to fall. The provision of local authority day services has also increased. We expect this progress to continue.
Between 1976 and 1986 there was a decrease of 14,800 in the number of NHS resident patients from 49,000 in 1976 to 34,200 in 1986. During the same period there was an increase of 12,600 places in residential homes from 11,800 to 24,400 and of 13,800 places in adult training centres and special needs units from 36,600 to 50,400.
Relevant figures are available in the Department's various statistical publications on health and personal social services, the most recent of which is the "Statistical Bulletin on Personal Social Services Mental Handicap Provision," copies of which are in the Library.