§ Mrs. GoldingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 1998,Official Report, columns 536–37, concerning child mental health services, what reviews of child and adolescent mental health services have been undertaken; and if his Department has obtained copies of these and related local action plans. [46130]
§ Mr. BoatengReviews have been completed in the South and West, Anglia and Oxford and North West regions of the National Health Service Executive and their reports have been discussed in meetings of the Department's implementation group on child and adolescent mental health services (representing all NHS and social care regions). Reviews in the remaining five regions are being undertaken and are at various stages of390W progress. The Department does not expect to receive copies of local action plans stemming from the reviews which are for consideration at regional level.
§ Mrs. GoldingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 1998,Official Report, columns 536–37, concerning child mental health services, to what extent the non-statutory sector is involved in the commissioning and provision of comprehensive mental health services for children and adolescents. [46129]
§ Mr. BoatengWe are aware that the independent sector makes a significant and valuable contribution to the provision of child and adolescent mental health services. A 1994 National Review of Services for the Mental Health of Children and Young People in England (Kurtz, Thornes and Wolkind), reported in relation to the non-statutory sector that 15 per cent. of the child and adolescent psychiatry services included in the survey had made use of inpatient services at twelve private hospitals, mainly for treatment of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa.
The same review reported that in planning, including health needs assessment, 42 per cent. of National Health Service purchasing authorities said that they had included voluntary organisations in their discussions. Several had involved particular organisations in a substantial way.
The Department currently provides grant aid worth some £472,000 per annum to 11 national voluntary bodies in the field of child and adolescent mental health, mainly to support projects having significance for the development of national services.