HC Deb 29 October 2001 vol 373 cc554-7W
Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the ethnic minority monitoring exercise in respect of mental health services announced on 24 October 2000. [9517]

Jacqui Smith

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State has asked the mental health task force to prepare a strategy to address the issues surrounding black and minority ethnic mental health issues. A task force member, Professor Sashidharan, is taking forward the development of a draft strategy under the guidance of the ethnicity and mental health reference group. We expect consultation papers on the draft strategy to be issued in spring 2002.

While the reference group has yet to finalise the content outline, a survey to find out about the experiences of black and minority ethnic people who use mental health services is being considered as part of the strategy.

The strategy is aiming to ensure that a range of issues across the mental health national service framework and NHS Plan are addressed.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on talking treatments for those with a diagnosis of severe mental illness; and if he will make a statement. [10495]

Jacqui Smith

The mental health national service framework sets out specific targets, service models, performance indicators and milestones for the provision of the most effective services, including "talking treatments" for people with severe mental illness. In support of this, the Department has commissioned the

Table 1: Number of available beds for adults with mental illness, in nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics and national health service facilities in England, 1996 to 2000
Rounded numbers
Year Total number of available beds Registered nursing beds in private hospitals and Clinics1,2 (A,C) Registered nursing beds in nursing homes2,3 (B) NHS facilities—average daily number of available beds4 (D)
1996 66,900 1,000 26,400 39,500
1997 67,300 800 27,700 38,800
1998 64,700 1,300 25,500 37,900
1999 66,000 1,500 27,500 37,100
2000 64,200 800 27,900 35,500
1Registered beds in private hospitals and clinics are not available separately.
2For 1995–96 and 1996–97, refers to date during the period 1 October to 31 March. The basis of data collection changed in 1998 and from 1998 onwards figures are as at 31 March.
3Registered nursing beds in general nursing homes and mental nursing homes (including registered nursing beds in dual registered homes).
4The average daily number of beds during the year ending 31 March.

Note:

Figures may not add to totals because of rounding

Source:

Department of Health annual returns

Table 2: Number of residential places for adults with mental illness1 in staffed residential care homes, by type of home, England, 1996 to 2000
Rounded numbers
As at 31 March All residential places Residential places in local authority staffed homes(i) Residential places in voluntary homes(ii) Residential places in private homes2 (iii) Residential places in dual registered homes
1996 25,900 4,700 5,500 15,000 700
1997 36,900 4,900 7,100 22,800 2,100
1998 38,700 4,500 6,900 24,200 3,000
1999 38,200 3,500 6,100 25,900 2,800
2000 40,000 4,100 6,600 25,900 3,400
1Residential places for people with mental illness including older people
2Includes places in small homes (less than four places)

Note:

Figures may not add to totals because of rounding

Source:

Department of Health annual returns

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of calls to NHS Direct are associated with mental illness. [10530]

Jacqui Smith

NHS Direct received 3.5 million calls during 2000–01, of which between 6 and 8 per cent. were logged as mental health-related. However, there is evidence from an independent study commissioned by the Department to suggest that a higher number of mental

National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop a guideline on the management of schizophrenia to cover the full range of effective treatments, including talking therapies.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) available beds and (b) staffed residential places for mentally ill people there were in each of the years since and including 1995–96, indicating the number of staffed residential places in (i) local authority, (ii) the voluntary sector and (iii) the private sector and the available beds in (A) private hospitals, (B) nursing homes, (C) clinics and (D) the NHS, excluding day care. [10519]

Jacqui Smith

The information requested is given in the tables.

health calls were actually received and handled. A copy of the report of the evaluation (March 2001) has been published by King's College London Institute of Psychiatry. Methods for recording calls are being reviewed to align them closely with the clinical assessment system.

Helen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce a statutory right to advocacy for users of mental health services. [10017]

Jacqui Smith

In the White Paper, "Reforming the Mental Health Act", which was published in December 2000, we set out our proposal to introduce in a new mental health act an independent specialist advocacy service for patients subject to powers under a new act. The Department has commissioned work on how best this might be achieved.

There are no plans to introduce a statutory right to advocacy for users of mental health services not subject to compulsory powers. However the mental health national

£
Portsmouth Healthcare National Health Service Trust (St. James Hospital) 500,000
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust (Fairmile Hospital) 250,000
Avon and Wiltshire Partnership Mental Health Trust—(Barrow Hospital) 500,000
East London and City Mental Health Trust (St. Clements) 380,000
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust (St. Anne's) 265,000
County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust (the Gables and County Hospital, the Pierremont Unit) 270,000
Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust (St. Lukes, Middlesbrough) 535,000
Worcester Community and MH NHS Trust (Redditch, Worcester, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster) 150,000
Coventry Healthcare Trust (Caludon Centre) 150,000
Shropshire Community NHS Trust (Telford and Wrekin, Shrewsbury) 100,000
North Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trust (Small Heath) 100,000
South Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trust (Queen Elizabeth Hospital) 100,000
Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust (Lister and QE2 Hospitals) 700,000
Rotherham Priority Health Services NHS Trust (Rotherham) 300,000
Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare Trust (Scunthorpe and Goole) 200,000
North Sefton and West Lancashire Community NHS Trust (Scarisbrick unit, the Hesketh Centre) 210,000
Tameside and Glossop Community and Priority Services NHS Trust (Wards 35/36) 110,000
St. Helen's and Knowsley Hospital NHS Trust (Whiston Hospital) 180,000
Total 5,000,000

Information on actual spend to date is not held centrally.