AS a national mental health service provider, we are concerned that the Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Bill may lead to mental health in-patients being discharged earlier than they should be.

There is also a danger that local authorities will take discharged patients earlier than they should, without proper accommodation and services in place, in an attempt to save paying hospital charges. This could lead to mental health patients quickly having to return to hospital -- the "revolving door" syndrome.

Extra financial burdens on local councils are not going to help them create and commission the new mental health services that are needed.

Furthermore, the charging proposal appears to go against recent, and welcome, Government moves to create better joint-funding arrangements between local authorities and health authorities, and to overcome problems where demarcations over money can currently cause difficulties for patients in getting the services they need.

We support the Bill's proposals for better communication between the NHS and local authorities over patients' discharging. It is important to ensure that all discharges are prepared for well in advance and proper and effective services immediately come into play at discharge. However, this aspiration may be distorted by the financial pressures imposed under the new charging arrangements.

Simon Lawton-Smith

Head of Public Affairs

Maca -- Mental After Care Association

Lincoln House

296-302 High Holborn, London WC1V 7JH

Tel: 020 7061 3456