Skip to main content

Mentally Ill People

Volume 75: debated on Thursday 21 March 1985

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what safeguards he recommends to ensure that patients discharged from long-term institutional psychiatric or mental handicap care have an appropriate place to go to in the community.

We expect health and local authorities to work together, with voluntary organisations where appropriate, in planning the transfer of patients from long-term hospital care in order to ensure that there is appropriate alternative provision available. Decisions on discharges are for those people directly responsible for clinical care and we expect them to assure themselves that sound arrangements have been made for a patient's accommodation and whatever continuing support is required before he or she leaves hospital.