LONDON'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (No. 2)

EDM number 524 in 1996-97, proposed by Harry Cohen on 12/02/1997.

That this House is concerned about the crisis in London's mental health services; notes that bed occupany rates have been increasing steadily, at times reaching 125 per cent., that these figures are worse than those for other inner cities in England and that rates for psychosis in Inner London are double those for other inner cities in England; believes that the numbers of assaults and cases of sexual harassment in in-patient wards are unacceptably high; notes the findings of the King's Fund that London compares unfavourably with other parts of the country in service provision and that many people with serious disorders, who may benefit from in-patient services, may not reach the very high threshold for admissions in London although they would be admitted in other parts of the country; expresses alarm that only eight per cent. of London hospitals surveyed by the King's Fund had liaison services meeting the minimum resource guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and that 14 per cent. had no liaison services at all; believes that London has inadequate resources to meet needs; notes that the York formula for taking the mental health needs of inner cities into account has only been partly introduced and that if introduced as intended would go a long way towards remedying inequalities in provision; and calls for an urgent review of the allocation formula.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.