Vol. 460 No. 3
165 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Health if he will give an estimate of the number of mentally handicapped persons over the age of 18 who are known to suffer from severe disturbed or psychiatric behavioural problems and are not in full-time residential care; if he will ensure that sufficient psychiatric assistance is made available to these people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19487/96]
The information requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department.
Responsibility for the provision of services to persons with a mental handicap is, in the first instance, a matter for the health boards. The provision of appropriate support services for persons with a mental handicap who also have disturbed behaviour and-or mental health needs would be an integral part of the overall planning and development of the services in each region. The additional funding provided by my Department in 1995 for the development of new services to persons with a mental handicap included £400,000 for the enhancement of services for persons with mental handicap with disturbed behaviour.
A discussion document on the mental health needs of persons with a mental handicap is to be circulated for comment to health boards, voluntary mental handicap agencies, professional bodies and other individuals or groups with an interest in this field within the next few days. The purpose of this document is to assist in clarifying thinking on the current and future needs of persons with a mental handicap who also have mental health needs and the development of appropriate services to respond to those needs. The response to the document will enable my Department to assess the extent to which these needs are currently being met and the initiatives required to further develop the services.
