HC Deb 04 March 2002 vol 381 cc125-7W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to address the shortage of mental health beds. [37216]

Jacqui Smith

The NHS Plan referred to the creation of almost 500 extra secure psychiatric beds and 320 24-hour staffed beds by April 2001. These targets were achieved. Work is on-going to meet the further NHS Plan commitment to develop 200 long-term secure beds by 2004.

It is also important to provide alternatives to in-patient care so that patients can benefit from appropriate care and treatment in the least restrictive environment consistent with their needs, including in their own homes where this is clinically appropriate and preferred by the patient. The NHS Plan contained a commitment to create 335 crisis resolution teams, 50 early intervention teams and a further 50 assertive outreach teams by April 2004 so that patients can benefit from these alternatives to in-patient care. We envisage that crisis resolution teams alone will treat around 100,000 people every year who would otherwise have to be admitted to hospital.

Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will conduct a national audit of mental health beds. [37217]

Jacqui Smith

Information about the availability and usage of mental health beds is already collected through annual returns obtained by the Department from providers of services. The returns are made on a financial year basis and the latest year for which data are available is 2000–01. Figures are taken from the annual Korner return KHO3—"Bed Availability and Occupancy". A more detailed national audit of mental health beds would not be appropriate at this stage because we are in a phase of rapid change. Local services are currently engaged in the implementation of new service models such as early intervention, assertive outreach and crisis resolution, which aim to provide alternatives to in-patient care. Forthcoming departmental guidance on acute in-patient mental health care will advise local services to map their strengths and weaknesses and to plan accordingly.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 23 January 2002,Official Report, column 958W, what steps he has taken to ensure that (a) the £50 million allocated to health authorities and (b) the £35 million allocated to local authorities has been spent on child and adolescent mental health services; and if he will make a statement as to the effectiveness of ring fencing of the allocations. [39844]

Jacqui Smith

[holding answer 1 March 2002]: The funding for health authorities is now in their baseline allocations and is not specifically audited. However we expect health authorities, and their successors, to continue to devote these funds to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). The local authority grant is a specific grant scheme and is audited to ensure that the grants are expended on CAMHS in line with the conditions of the grant.

Mr. Heald

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young offender institutions will have no mental health in-reach services by 2004. [39685]

Jacqui Smith

[holding answer 1 March 2002]: The exact distribution of new mental health in-reach services to 2004 has not yet been finalised, but young offender institutions are being treated as a priority for the development of these services.