I take this opportunity to once again acknowledge the work which families and carers of persons with a mental handicap undertake in caring for their relatives. I understand the frustration of families whose relatives are on waiting lists for services and the toll which both the caring and the waiting can take on their health.
Since my appointment as Minister for Health and Children, despite the many competing demands which are made on the resources available to my Department, I have consistently identified as one of my priorities the provision of the additional residential, respite and day services outlined in the document, Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap – An Assessment of Need 1997-2001. The assessment of need is based on information from the national intellectual disability database and the information on the services being provided and on current and future needs has enabled us to identify clearly, for the first time, the level of unmet need over a five year period and to plan to meet those needs.
Between 1997 and 1998, over 500 new residential and 760 new day places were provided. I was pleased to be in a position to allocate additional revenue funding of £12 million in 1999, with a full year cost of £18 million in 2000, for these services. The additional revenue funding of £18 million will provide approximately 320 new residential places, 80 new respite places and over 200 new day places. This funding will also enhance the health related support services for schoolgoing children with autism, continue the programme to transfer persons with a mental handicap from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements and provide additional specialist and other support services. This funding is in addition to the £6 million already allocated to the services in 1999 to meet identified needs in existing services. This brings the total additional revenue funding provided in 1999 for the services to £18 million, with a full year cost of £24 million in 2000. The amount of £10 million capital funding is also being provided to support the new service developments in 1999.
