The most recent report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals, for the year ending 31 December 1999, was published in July this year. While the inspector acknowledged the progress that has been made in the provision of acute units in general hospitals, community mental health centres, day hospitals and community residential facilities, he stated that the rate of progress needs to accelerate. It is my intention to facilitate the health boards in as far as possible bringing about the improvements and developments identified by the inspector. In particular, I intend to facilitate further significant development of the mental health services under the national development plan.
Approximately £150 million capital is being provided over the lifetime of the national development plan for the development of the mental health services. A significant part of this funding will go towards general hospitals for a replacement of services previously provided in psychiatric hospitals. At the end of the period of the national development plan, it is the intention to have the programme of acute psychiatric units completed which will mean that acute admissions to the old psychiatric hospitals will no longer occur. The plan will also provide for more community facilities such as mental health centres and community residences which will further accelerate the phasing out of the old institutions.
Concern was expressed in the inspector's report about difficulties in recruiting qualified psychiatric nursing personnel, which were particularly acute in the eastern region. However, more than £1 million has been provided for local and national marketing campaigns undertaken by the Nursing Careers Centre and the schools of nursing around the country. The success of these campaigns is evident from the fact that the schools of nursing have since succeeded in filling a record 254 training places in psychiatric nursing in 1999 and this record figure was exceeded this year, rising to 300. Increasing the annual intake of student psychiatric nurses is a key element in the Government's strategy for addressing the current shortage of nurses.
In his report, the inspector also referred to the lack of multi-disciplinary teams in many mental health services, particularly in the area of psychology and social work services. Additional resources of £1.4 million were provided to health boards in 2000 for improvements in these services. The inspector also highlighted a number of other service and quality of care issues which were raised with individual service providers. These issues will continue to be pursued with a view to bringing about the improvements required.