§ Mr. GallieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what progress is being made by Greater Glasgow health board in developing a mental health services strategy for its area.
§ Mr. StewartMy noble and learned Friend the Minister of State has today endorsed Greater Glasgow health board's mental health strategy 1993–2000, and given his approval to the planned closure of Gartloch hospital by 1995 as part of the specific proposals to put the strategy into effect.
The strategy, which has been subject to full public consultation, proposes a new model of care based on a fundamental shift away from large institutions towards care provided in local community settings. Two key 165W elements of the strategy are that the alternative community-based care services must be in place before patients begin to transfer in substantial numbers and hospitals finally close and the development of locality-based resource centres. The strategy plans to establish up to 25 such centres. Each will house multi-disciplinary teams consisting of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists and social work staff providing care, treatment, supervision and counselling. The teams will be involved in the entire range of care, from hospital settings to domiciliary care, and available 12 hours a day, seven days a week with crisis team cover outside these times.
The board plans to implement the strategy in three phases. Phase 1 will focus on the north and east of Glasgow and involve the establishment of 10 resource centres and the creation of an additional 90 day hospital places. As a first step towards implementing the strategy, the board has submitted a bridging finance application to the management executive for funds covering the period to March 1997. While certain details of the application remain to be agreed, the Minister of State has today approved an initial allocation of bridging finance of £6 million for 1994–95. This will go towards the initial start-up and double running costs that will be incurred as the alternative community based services are put into place.
The bridging finance application was co-signed and submitted by the health board, Strathclyde regional council social work department, and Glasgow district council. The application contains a far-reaching set of proposals and some considerable commitments by the individual agencies involved. This, in my view, is an excellent example of joint working and co-operation and one that I would urge others to follow.