§ Ms PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to ensure that "The Health of the Nation" targets on reducing suicide rates are reached.
§ Mr. BowisWe are taking action to improve our understanding of suicide, to develop comprehensive local services for mentally ill people and to enhance good practice in the management of psychiatric conditions. Specific action already taken includes the funding of the confidential inquiry into homicides and suicides by mentally ill people, issue of the "Mental Illness Key Area Handbook" to national health service and local authority managers of mental health services and a series of initiatives under the 10-point plan to reinforce community care for mentally ill people we announced on 12 August 1993. Full details of action taken at national level during the first 16 months of "The Health of the Nation" initiative are given in "The Health of the Nation: One Year On", a copy of which is available in the Library.