§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers per 1,000 population there were in(a) St Helens, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in each year since 1996. [71280]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]: The table below shows the whole-time equivalent number of social work staff (including care managers) per 1,000 population as at 30 September for each year between 1996 and 2001 for St. Helens, Merseyside, the North West excluding Merseyside and England as a whole.
§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time was for appeals to mental health review tribunals to be heard in each region in the most recent year for which information is available. [65794]
§ Jacqui SmithThere are three separate categories that Mental Health Review Tribunal's fall into: Section 2, Non-Restricted and Restricted. The section 2 target is a statutory target.
Section 2 tribunals must be heard within 7 days of the application being received in the office.Non-restricted cases are listed as speedily as possible but no earlier than 3 weeks after receipt because the Responsible Authority has three weeks under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983 in which to provide reports for the Tribunal. Before October 2001, the non-restricted tribunals were required to be listed within 8 weeks of the application being received in the office. Subsequent case law requires the tribunal to be less rigid, and to list speedily taking into account the circumstances of individual casesRestricted cases must be heard within 20 weeks of the application being received in the office.Timing of listed appeals:
The average time for appeals to be heard between July 2001-June 2002 and is divided into the four regions.
- North London and East Region
- Section 2–9 days
- Non-Restricted—7.2 weeks
- estricted—18.2 weeks
- South London, South and West Region
- Section 2–8.3 days
- Non-Restricted—8.4 weeks
- Restricted—18 weeks
391W - West Midland and North West Region
- Section 2–6.1 days
- Non-Restricted—7.5 weeks
- Restricted–19.6 weeks
- Trent, Northern and Yorkshire Region
- Section 2–6.3 days
- Non-Restricted—7.8 weeks
- Restricted—19.4 weeks
- National Averages
- Section 2–7.4 days
- Non-Restricted—7.7 weeks
- Restricted—18.8 weeks
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met colleagues in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss the Social Exclusion Unit's work on mental health issues; and what future meetings are planned. [67983]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 8 July 2002]: Officials from the Department are involved in the Social Exclusion Unit's current projects and meet on a regular basis, seeking to ensure that these reflect the needs of mental health service users
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Newcastle Declaration made on 25 June in respect of mental health and its treatment. [68047]
§ Mr. HuttonThe launch of the first year strategy for the National Institute for Mental Health in England in Newcastle on 25 June brought together professionals and service users to show their support for the work being prepared on early intervention services. Discussions have formed the basis of the Newcastle Declaration which emphasises the high levels of care for people in the early stages of psychosis.
The Declaration is now being taken forward to an International Conference in Copenhagen in the Autumn and is a sign of the broad support for the conventions taken forward.
§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much spending there was on mental health services in(a) St Helens and Knowsley Health Authority, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in each year since 1996; and what the projected amounts are for (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003. [71282]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 23 July 2002]: The data for 1996–97 to 2000–01 are shown in the table below. Projections are not available.
St Helens Merseyside North West £"000 England 1996–97 16,287 57,643 350,192 2,648,191 1997–98 17,066 63,037 365,286 2,767,036 1998–99 19,684 72,595 395,425 2,925,934 1999–2000 21,485 81,780 454,238 3,445,341 2000–01 24,105 144,293 546,979 3,952,618 Figures are secondary mental illness expenditure by the health authority and, for 2000–01. by PCTs.
Sources:
Health authority audited accounts 1996–97 to 1998–99;
Health authority audited summarisation forms 1999–2000 and 2000–01;
Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2000–01.
Notes:
392WMerseyside includes St Helens and Knowsley, Sefton and Liverpool health authorities.
Sefton included £63 million mental illness expenditure in 2000–01, when it was the lead commissioner for secure mental health services in the North West region. This explains the large increase in the Merseyside figures for 2000–01.
North West includes the 16 health authorities.
Primary mental illness expenditure is not separately identified in the accounts/summarisation schedules.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding is available for(a) mental health services and (b) mental health counselling services in Buckinghamshire in the current financial year; what the corresponding figures were, adjusted for inflation, in 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [72596]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 23 July 2002]: The Government is committed to the delivery of effective mental health services for those people who need them. The NHS Plan built on the national framework for mental health by providing for extra investment of over £300 million by 2004.
The information requested is held at health authority and primary care trust level.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in what format his Department holds information regarding the(a) number of acute psychiatric beds, (b) occupancy rate and (c) delayed discharge from these beds. [71947]
§ Jacqui Smith[holding answer 22 July 2002]: Information regarding the number of hospital beds and occupancy rate is collected annually via the Department's collection from KHO3 "Bed Availability and Occupancy". The form requests availability and occupancy of beds in wards open overnight by ward classification. A section for information on mental illness is split into three parts: children—short stay, long stay, elderly—short stay, long stay and other ages—secure unit, short stay, long stay.
The resulting data is published on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/
Information on delayed discharge from these beds is not collected.