§ Ms JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many districts have a register of the 300 or 400 most severely ill vulnerable people in their area; and how many have a care programme approach register;
(2) how many districts have a suicide register to identify potentially vulnerable people.
§ Mr. BowisGuidance to be issued to district health authorities in the next few weeks will require them to ensure that providers of mental health services have in place from 1 April 1994 registers which identify those people with severe mental illness who may be at risk to themselves or to others. The number of mentally ill people to be included on these registers will be determined locally. The terms "suicide register" and "care programme register" are not in general use in the national health service, but all providers of NHS mental health services should already be able to identify all patients subject to the care programme approach.
§ Ms JowellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many districts have a mental health service plan which targets and prioritises the severely mentally ill.
§ Mr. BowisAll district health authorities are developing plans to achieve "The Health of the Nation" target to reduce the suicide rate of severely mentally ill people by at least 33 per cent. by 2000.