§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors determined the reduction in the proportion of funds allocated by his Department for directly commissioned research relevant to mental illness from 9.3 per cent. in 1987–88 to 8.2 per cent. in 1988–89.
§ Mr. FreemanThe relative scale of research relevant to mental illness commissioned by the Department varies from year to year in the light of existing and emerging research knowledge, the development of relevant services, and changes in the need for research on other subjects. In 1988–89 £1,307,900 has been made available for directly commissioned research relevant to mental health. In 1987–88 the comparable sum was £1,267,000. Because the total health and personal social services budget has grown, the sum set aside for 1988–89 is a lower percentage of total funds than in 1987–88.
802W
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to the reply of 1 December 1988,Official Report, column 383, to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle), if he will make it his policy to ensure that staff of community care hostels receiving discharged psychiatric patients receive information about the illness from which they previously suffered, or continue to suffer, regardless of the constraints of medical confidence or the wishes of the patient.
§ Mr. MellorWhen a patient is discharged to a hostel in the community, there should be a continuing care plan agreed by hospital staff and those who will be caring for him in the community, and this will usually include information about the patient's illness. The basis of successful care is, however, mutual trust between patients and those involved in their treatment. Giving community care hostel staff information about an individual patient against the wishes of that patient would not be appropriate as it would vitiate that trust.