§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies she has funded to identify(a) contact with community mental teams, (b) residential accommodation and (c) unmet needs for long-stay patients in mental health hospitals, within each United Kingdom regional health authority.
§ Mr. YeoResponsibility for assessing the needs of mentally ill people rests with district health authorities and local authority social services departments. Department of 225W Health funded-research concerning community care for mentally ill people is included in "Community Care: Findings from Department of Health funded research 1988–1992", a copy of which is available in the Library. The national health service research and development programme supports several studies on services available to long-stay mentally ill patients, alternative accommodation and arrangements for discharge. This is being managed by the Yorkshire regional health authority, and the hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Bryan Askew, the chairman of the health authority, for details.