HC Deb 19 December 2003 vol 416 cc196-200W
Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what groups he has assessed as being most at risk from and prone to mental illness resulting in them being a danger(a) to themselves and (b) to others. [144758]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The Office for National Statistics survey "Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000" shows the association between the presence of mental health problems and key socio-demographic and economic characteristics for those with different types of mental disorder. It also examines the relationship between the presence of mental health problems and physical complaints. The survey is available from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/

In addition, the National Institute for Mental Health in England has recently published the first annual report of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. The report, available from http://www.nimhe.org.uk, sets out risk factors for suicide and deliberate self-harm.

Information about factors associated with homicide by people with mental illness is also contained in the National Confidential Inquiry reports, which are available from http://www.national-confidential-inquiry.ac.uk/nic

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many ex-offenders have in each of the last five years been(a) identified with and (b) treated for a mental illness sufficiently severe for them to have been regarded as a danger to themselves or others, broken down by region; [144759]

(2) how many people in each region, in each of the last five years, broken down by age, ethnicity and sex have been identified as a danger to (a) themselves and (b) others as a result of mental illness. [144761]

Ms Rosie Winterton

Information about people, whether or not they have a history of offending, who may represent a danger to themselves or others is not collected in the format requested.

However, statistical bulletin "In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, England: 1992–93 to 2002–03" (http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0322.htm) contains detailed information on people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation.

The annual statistical bulletin "Statistics of mentally disordered offenders" (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/hosb1403.pdf) contains information about patients subject to a restriction order admitted to, detained in or discharged from hospitals. It also gives information on the admission to hospital of mentally disordered offenders not subject to restriction orders.

The Office for National Statistics survey "Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000" (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/) shows the associations between the presence of mental health problems and key socio-demographic and economic characteristics for those with different types of mental disorder. It also examines the relationship between the presence of mental health problems and physical complaints.

In addition, the National Institute for Mental Health in England has recently published the first annual report of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. The report (http://www.nimhe.org.uk) sets out risk factors for suicide and deliberate self-harm.

Information about factors associated with suicide and homicide by people with mental illness is also contained in the National Confidential Inquiry reports, which are available from http://www.nationalconfidential-inquiry.ac.uk/nic/

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people leaving care have been(a) identified with and (b) treated for mental illness sufficiently severe for them to have been regarded as a danger to themselves or others, broken down by region. [144762]

Dr. Ladyman

This information is not collected centrally. As set out in the Department of Health Priorities and Planning Framework 2003–06, we are establishing a total of 50 early intervention teams to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis to an average time of less than three months (individual maximum less than six months). They will also provide support for the first three years for all young people who develop a first episode of psychosis by 2004.

The latest information available shows 27 early intervention teams are already in place. Work continues in assisting local services to establish teams in line with the service specifications outlined in the Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources were made available(a) centrally and (b) by health authority for the treatment both on a residential and outpatient basis of people thought to be a danger to (i) themselves and (ii) others as a result of mental illness in each of the last five years. [144763]

Ms Rosie Winterton

Mental health resources made centrally available for dangerous and severe personality disorder, high secure services and prison in-reach since 2001–02 are detailed in the table.

millions
Allocation
2001–02 11.05
2002–03 20.06
2003–04 25.067

Resource expenditure by health authorities/primary care trusts (PCTs) is not collected by client group and therefore the specific spend on services for people thought to be a danger to themselves and others as a result of mental illness cannot be separately identified.

Allocations to PCTs for mental health in 2003–04 have been in line with the planning and priorities framework, which is in turn based on the NHS Plan. Following "Shifting the Balance of Power", PCTs are responsible for commissioning services for their local populations. They do this in the context of national priorities; the local services that are already available; the evidence; and the resources. These arrangements permit resources to be more closely matched to the needs of local people and enable PCTs and their partner organisations to take full account of strengths or gaps in local services.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential treatment facilities are open, broken down by region, for people identified with a serious mental illness; and how many facilities were in operation in each of the last five years. [144764]

Ms Rosie Winterton

This information is not available in the requested format. However, the hospital activity statistics system, which is available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/, provides information on the average daily numbers of available and occupied residential beds for people with mental illness within national health service organisations.

In addition, the National Care Standards Commission operates a central register of social care and private and voluntary health care services throughout England. The register includes residential care services for people with mental illness and is available at http://www.carestandards.org.uk/registered + services + directory/default.htm

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been issued to healthcare professionals when identifying and treating patients thought to be a danger to(a) themselves and (b) others as a result of mental illness; and how many attacks were made on healthcare professionals in the last 12 months, broken down by region. [144765]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The Department has issued advice on the identification and treatment of those patients thought to be a danger to themselves or others as a result of mental illness.

The first national suicide prevention strategy in England was launched by my right hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Community (Jacqui Smith) on 16 September 2002 and the first report on progress, which is available at www.nimhw.org.uk, was published on 11 December 2003.

For those detained under the Mental Health Act, practice should follow what is described in the Mental Health Act Code of Practice. For those who may be a danger to others, control and restraint procedures should be regularly reviewed and audited in line with good clinical governance.

The Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS), launched in April 2003, has a remit encompassing policy and operational responsibility for the management of security in the national health service. As a key preventative measure to tackle physical assaults on staff and professionals in the NHS, the CFSMS has developed a national syllabus for the provision of conflict resolution training for staff and professionals working in the NHS and is in the process of developing a separate national syllabus for the provision of conflict resolution and physical intervention training in the mental health and learning disability settings. The National Institute for Mental Health in England also has a programme of work on the management of violence in mental health settings.

The table shows the number of incidents indicated in the Department"s survey of violence, accidents and harassment reports for 2002–03.

Organisation type Estimated total number of incidents Estimated number of incidents per 1,000 stuff per month
Acute trusts 38,000 6
Primary care trusts 21,000 12
Ambulance trusts 5,000 16
Mental health and community trusts 51,000 34
All organisations 116,000 11

Totals include a small number of incidents in strategic health authorities and special health authorities. Totals have been estimated to include organisations which did not provide figures.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in each type of facility, broken down by region, for the containment and treatment of individuals thought to be a danger to(a) themselves or (b) others as a result of mental illness in each of the last five years. [144766]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The requested data is not collected by client group and therefore the specific number of beds for people thought to be a danger to themselves and others as a result of mental illness cannot be separately identified.

Average daily numbers of available beds open overnight and residential care beds in the mental illness sector for each of the last five years are shown in the table.

Beds open overnight Residential care beds
1998–99 35,692 1,364
1999–2000 34,173 1,299
2000–01 34,214 1,280
2001–02 32,783 1,193
2002–03 32,753 1.633