Mental Health

Baroness Corston Excerpts

Wednesday 10th November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the noble Baroness is right to say that there is legislative provision to ensure age-appropriate accommodation for young people in particular suffering from mental health difficulties. A range of products has been produced by the National Mental Health Development Unit to assist hospitals to meet the legal requirement to provide that age-appropriate setting. It does not mean, of course, that no under 18 year-olds may be treated on adult psychiatric wards as there are circumstances where that is appropriate. But my understanding is that this legislation is being observed and is making a difference.

[Baroness Corston]

My Lords, given that two-thirds of the women in prison have diagnosable mental health disorders and that services are currently commissioned through primary care trusts, how will such services be provided once the trusts are abolished?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, we have just completed the consultation on the White Paper and we have received 6,000 replies. We intend to publish our response before the end of the year, and prison health, in particular, will form a part of that response.