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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cross-border tracking of (a) adults and (b) children with (i) mental health and (ii) general health problems takes place between health authorities in England and Wales. [220266] Mr. Hutton: [holding answer 4 March 2005]: In general terms, the primary care trust or local health board in whose area a patient is registered with a general practitioner (GP) practice will have responsibility for commissioning his or her care, regardless of what particular health problems he or she might have. When a patient moves across the border between England and Wales, we would expect that person to register with a GP practice at their earliest convenience, which then determines the authority responsible for their care. Their records will then be transferred to the new practice. Some adults who have been in contact with mental health services will be subject to the multi-agency public protection panel arrangements. The arrangements for the tracking of individuals considered a risk to the public are detailed in paragraphs 76 and 77 of Probation Circular 54/2004, "The MAPPA Guidance". This places the responsibility firmly on the responsible authorities (the relevant police and probation services) initiating the transfer to ensure that the receiving authorities have both the information and the time to put suitable arrangements into place. The arrangements for moves between Wales and England are the same as those between English regions. Health bodies have a duty to cooperate with police and probation services in making these arrangements function effectively.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c123-4W;432 c121-2W; 220266

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Children Mental illness Patients Migration Wales

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk