Vol. 411 No. 1
507 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Health if he has reassessed his community care policy which has left many former psychiatric patients dependent on charities such as the Simon Community; and if he will issue new guidelines requiring physicians to establish more firmly the patients ability to survive in the community.
I do not accept that many former psychiatric patients are dependent on charities such as the Simon Community. Before a patient is discharged from a psychiatric hospital, a thorough assessment by a multi-disciplinary psychiatric team is carried out to assess a patient's ability to cope with living in the community. Patients also participate in rehabilitation programmes designed to ease the transition to community living. I am satisfied with the standard of care given and the dedication of staff caring for patients in the community.
Comprehensive community-based psychiatric services are being put in place at local level in each health board area in line with Government policy as outlined in the report of the study group on the development of the psychiatric services — Planning for the Future, published in 1984. The community psychiatric services in place comprise community based local residences, psychiatric day hospitals, outpatient clinics and training workshops. Former patients of psychiatric hospitals are placed in the care of the community services and are continuously and closely monitored to ensure that the transition to the community is successful.
