HC Deb 20 March 1990 vol 169 c569W
Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are in psychiatric care(a) currently, (b) five and (c) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman

It is estimated that there were 56,200 in-patients under the care of consultant psychiatrists in National Health Service mental illness hospitals and units in England on 31 March 1989. This compares with 77,300 at the end of 1979 and 66,000 at the end of 1984.