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Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidents of (a) sexual assault on and (b) sexual harassment of mental health in-patients have been reported in each of the past 10 years; and how many of these incidents resulted in criminal or civil proceedings. [188861]

Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not centrally available.

National health service trusts need to ensure that all patients are protected from physical, psychological or sexual harm while they are being treated in mental health facilities. As set out in Safety, Privacy and Dignity in Mental Health Units (2000), an officer at a senior level within the trust should be appointed to have responsibility for women's safety, privacy and dignity. Speedy and robust arrangements must be in place to deal effectively with staff or patients who sexually abuse or harass patients, staff and visitors. Whether there is a complaint or not, all incidents of women patients being threatened, pestered or harassed should be investigated, recorded and reported to the responsible officer for monitoring purposes.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the types of bodies through which mental health service users are able to influence the development and delivery of mental health services; and in which trusts such bodies operate. [188862]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government established patients' forums for all primary care trusts and national health service trusts, including mental health trusts. Forums comprise volunteer members of the public, and include patients of the trusts for which the forums are established. Forums feed the views and experiences of patients and the public into the operation and management of services. Patients' forums make reports and recommendations to the boards of the trusts and can also refer matters of concern to the healthcare commission, local authority overview and scrutiny committees, strategic health authorities, or any other body they deem appropriate.

"Mental health policy implementation guide on adult acute inpatient care" (2002), which is available in the Library, recommends the establishment of acute care forums with involvement of service users and carers to agree and regularly review the operation and co-ordination of the range of acute care services.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of Mind's Ward Watch report; and if he will make a statement. [188864]

 
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Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department is committed to ensuring patients' safety, privacy and dignity in all inpatient settings and understands that some people in psychiatric wards may not always feel that ward environments are conducive to their recovery.

We value every opportunity to study and take into account any new evidence and welcome working in close collaboration with Mind on this issue.

The Department has given a strong public commitment to protect patients' privacy and dignity and to achieve single sex hospital accommodation in all national health service hospitals. By December 2003, 99 per cent. of NHS trusts provided single sex sleeping accommodation for planned admissions and had robust operational policies in place to protect patients' privacy and dignity; 99 per cent. of them met the additional criteria to ensure the safety, privacy and dignity of people who are mentally ill; and 97 per cent. provided properly segregated bathroom and toilet facilities for men and women.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of the report commissioned by the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority into the death of Sarah Lawson in Worthing; and what the cost of legal advice to the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in respect of the report was. [189444]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department does not have the requested information.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how he plans to monitor the progress of recommendations made in the report into the death of Sarah Lawson on improvement of mental health services in West Sussex; [189445]

(2) what action he plans to take to implement in England the recommendations of the report on the death of Sarah Lawson in respect of mental health services. [189446]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The report on the death of Sarah Lawson was commissioned by the former West Sussex health authority, and carried forward by the Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority. It is therefore the responsibility of the Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority to ensure that local recommendations are fully considered, and acted upon.

However, the Department will consider and respond to any national recommendations.

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether epilepsy is included in the definition of mental disorder in the Draft Mental Health Bill; and if he will make a statement. [190007]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Under the Bill, mental disorder means

"an impairment of or a disturbance in the functioning of the mind or brain resulting from any disability or disorder of the mind or brain".

Having a condition which falls within this definition cannot, on its own, lead to a person being detained or treated under compulsory powers. The powers in the Bill can only be used where the carefully drawn conditions are all satisfied. The conditions require that the patient is suffering from a mental disorder which is
 
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serious enough to warrant specialist treatment under the care of a senior mental health practitioner; the risk to self or others justifies use of compulsory powers and appropriate treatment is available for the individual patient taking into account all the circumstances of the case.

Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy to provide further funding to the North West Surrey Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust to support the retention of respite care beds at Kingscroft, Staines; [189776]

(2) if he will make it his policy to block the proposals of the North West Surrey Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust to close respite care beds for sufferers with learning difficulties and mental health problems at Kingscroft, Staines. [189777]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Following the Department's "Shifting the balance of power" initiative, funding is allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

The configuration of local health services including the provision of respite care beds is a matter for the local National Health Service, working in partnership with its stakeholders and the local community. It is for NHS organisations to plan and develop services based on their specific local knowledge and expertise.

Myasthenia Gravis

Mr. Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on Government support provided to those diagnosed with myasthenia gravis; [188628]

(2) what plans his Department has to increase awareness of the condition myasthenia gravis amongst the medical profession; [188632]

(3) if he will make a statement on support provided by Government to the families of people who are diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. [188743]

Dr. Ladyman: Although there is no cure for myasthenia gravis there are a number of treatments available to help control it. These include medication, surgery, and palliation. It is for strategic health authorities in partnership with other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to provide health services for their populations, including those with myasthenia gravis, with independent inspection to ensure that patients have access to appropriate services.

The national service framework for long-term conditions will focus on improving services for people with neurological conditions. While the framework will not cover myasthentia gravis specifically, it will recommend improvements in standards, care and support that will
 
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benefit everyone with a neurological condition. We are committed to publishing the framework as soon as possible.

We have no specific plans to raise awareness of the condition among the medical profession. The Department is not responsible for setting curricula for health professional training; that is the responsibility of the statutory and professional bodies. However we do share a commitment with those bodies that all health professionals are trained so that they have the skills and knowledge to deliver a high quality health service to all groups of the population with whom they deal.

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to increase awareness about myasthenia gravis amongst members of the medical professions. [189133]

Dr. Ladyman: We have no specific plans to raise awareness of the condition among the medical profession. The Department is not responsible for setting curricula for health professional training; that is the responsibility of the statutory and professional bodies. However we do share a commitment with those bodies that all health professionals are trained so that they have the skills and knowledge to deliver a high quality health service to all groups of the population with whom they deal.

The national service framework for long-term conditions will focus on improving services for people with neurological conditions. While the framework will not cover myasthenia gravis specifically, it will recommend improvements in standards, care and support that will benefit everyone with a neurological condition.

We are committed to publishing the framework as soon as possible.

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