§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been done to inform residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation services that they are included in local authority purchasing plans.
§ Mr. YeoIt is the responsibility of each local authority to assess the needs of its population for community care services, including for residential services for problems associated with the misuse of alcohol and drugs and to enter into appropriate contractual arrangements with service providers.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation services she expects to close within the first four months of community care.
§ Mr. YeoThe Government and the local authorities have made clear the high priority they attach to the provision of services for people who misuse alcohol and drugs. The funds being made available to local authorities through the community care special transitional grant fully reflect existing levels of service provision and there is therefore no reason why services which appropriately meet the needs of this important client group should not be maintained. Special monitoring arrangements for independent sector residential services for people who misuse alcohol and drugs are being established in the first three months after the full implementation of the community care reforms on 1 April 1993.
§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what decision has been reached on fast track assessment by the working group convened to discuss residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation services.
§ Mr. YeoAt our request, the local authority associations have convened a working party, on which independent sector service providers are represented, to prepare good practice guidance on fast track assessment and on out-of-area referrals, which will enable them to issue advice to their members. It is expected that this will be available during March.