§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mentally ill people are(a) in long-stay mental health institutions, (b) in care in the community, (c) in prison and (d) homeless.
§ Mr. DorrellThe number of mentally ill residents in national health service hospitals and units on 31 March 1990 who had been resident for more than one year is estimated at 31,200.
The precise number of mentally ill people in receipt of care in the community is not known. The number of people in homes and hostels for mentally ill people who are supported by local authorities under the provisions of schedule 8 to the National Health Service Act 1977, as at 31 March 1989, the latest available date, was 3,549.
The total number of prisoners who suffer from some form of mental illness is not recorded centrally. A total of 245 prisoners were reported by prison medical officers on 31 March 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, to be mentally ill within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983, to a degree to meet the criteria for detention in hospital set out in that Act. Annually over 1,000 prisoners are transferred from prison to hospital under the provisions of that Act following reports by prison medical officers.
The number of mentally ill people who are homeless is not recorded centrally.
§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any information on the staffing and management arrangements of mental nursing homes registered to take detained patients with particular288W reference to the responsibilities of such homes under the Mental Health Act 1983; and what plans he has to increase the information available on such mental nursing homes.
§ Mr. DorrellThe numbers of registered mental nurses and registered nurses for the mentally handicapped in registered mental nursing homes are reported to the Department by district health authorities in return K036. The figures for 31 March 1989 were 1,050 full-time and 714 part-time registered mental nurses and 142 full-time and 65 part-time registered nurses for the mentally handicapped. We have no plans to collect any other information on the staffing of mental nursing homes.
Registered mental nursing homes are subject to the Registered Homes Act 1984 and must meet the requirements of that Act before they can be registered. Homes registered to take patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 must comply with all the relevant sections of that Act, including those concerning patients' rights while detained and access to the mental health review tribunals and the Mental Health Act Commission. The responsibilities of managers of registered mental nursing homes under the 1983 Act are broadly comparable to those of managers of NHS hospitals.
§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of detained patients cared for in mental nursing homes during 1990; and how many mental nursing homes are registered to take detained patients.
§ Mr. DorrellThe latest available information is for 31 March 1989 when there were 89 patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 in private mental nursing homes in England. This does not include patients cared for under contractual arrangements with health authorities. On the same date there were 60 mental nursing homes registered under part II of the Registered Homes Act 1984 and authorised to detain patients.