HC Deb 27 February 2004 vol 418 cc624-6W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died under restraint in mental health institutions in each of the last six years; and how many of these were from ethnic minorities. [155631]

Ms Rosie Winterton

Information about the number of people who have died under restraint in each of the last six years from an ethnic minority comes from two sources.

The Mental Health Act Commission collects data on individuals who have died while being retained under the Mental Health Act 1983. Data provided by the Commission are shown in the table.

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Total number of deaths (from all causes) 621 386 403 390 361 304
Number of deaths of detained patients where Control and Restraint was used in the seven days preceding death 18 16 25 10 11 9
Number of deaths of detained patients where Control and Restraint was used in the 24 hours preceding death n/a1 2 1 0 1 1
Number of those from ethnic minorities 1 1 0 0 0 1
1Data not readily available.

Sudden and unexplained deaths data are collected by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness.

In the study period of March 1999 to February 2002 the following cases were reported:

All cases:

Cases of Sudden and Unexplained Deaths (SUD) who were physically restrained in the 24 hours before death:

Four patients (4 per cent, of 110).

Cases of SUD who were physically restrained 1 hour before death:

Two patients (2 per cent, of 109).

Ethnic minorities:

Cases of SUD who were physically restrained in the 24 hours before death:

One patient (9 per cent, of 11).

Cases of SUD who were physically restrained 1 hour before death:

One patient (9 per cent, of 11).

However, it is important to note that the populations from which these data were selected from are not identical. Therefore the figures should be viewed with caution.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts offer women-only mental health day care facilities in England. [154425]

Ms Rosie Winterton

Following "Shifting the Balance of Power", strategic health authorities (SHAs) carry responsibility for the development of local delivery plans that show how proposals for mental health modernisation will be taken forward.

Information to guide local services on applicable service models is available in guidance published by the Department of Health. "Women's mental health: into the mainstream" was made available to services in September 2002. A copy has been placed in the Library.

In addition, a programme of work led by the National Institute for Mental Health in England focuses on the development of services for women, including day care provision.

SHAs carry responsibility for the direct management of trust performance, taking account of national guidance and local population needs and resources. Our annual national assessment of local services1 self-assessment of development shows that progress is being made but information is not captured centrally on a trust by trust basis.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average wait for a mental health bed is in(a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley. [154743]

Miss Melanie Johnson

As at September 2003, there were five patients from primary care trusts in the Lancashire area waiting for admission to a mental health bed for up to two months. There were no patients waiting for longer than that time in Lancashire. No patients were waiting for admission to a mental health bed in Chorley.

In view of the small numbers involved, it is not possible to calculate average waiting times.

Source:

Department of Health Quarterly Monitoring Data

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