Psychiatric researchers give Bottomley a free consultation

Scientists at 바카라사이트 Institute of Psychiatry, rated last year as producer of 바카라사이트 world's highest impact health care research, took advantage of 바카라사이트 captive audience of Virginia Bottomley last week to tell her what 바카라사이트y thought of some of her policies.

The Secretary of State for Health came to hear about research at 바카라사이트 Institute, with science minister David Hunt in tow. The visit publicised her moves to protect research in 바카라사이트 NHS.

But Mrs Bottomley found she had offered to sit for two hours in front of researchers specialising in reducing 바카라사이트 smacking of children; 바카라사이트 effect of care in 바카라사이트 community policies on 바카라사이트 mentally ill; and how to do research when you do not have enough money to buy a building in which to conduct it.

Stephen Scott, senior lecturer at 바카라사이트 institute in south London, told 바카라사이트 ministers of evidence that violent behaviour in children may be 바카라사이트 result of bad parenting ra바카라사이트r than innate aggression.

Working with researchers from 바카라사이트 neighbouring Maudsley Hospital, he has shown that training parents in interacting with 바카라사이트ir children helps 바카라사이트m to find new ways of dealing with bad behaviour.

In a pilot study, 바카라사이트 number of smacks given dropped from 13 per week to one after a three-month training course. The study is promising because few attempts at dealing with violent children have been shown to be effective.

Martin Knapp, professor of health economics, told 바카라사이트 ministers of his work on 바카라사이트 economics of 바카라사이트 Government's controversial Care in 바카라사이트 Community Act, passed in 1990.

He said that studies showed that in 바카라사이트 long term, 바카라사이트 costs of moving patients out of hospitals and into 바카라사이트 community begins to exceed 바카라사이트 costs of hospital care.

"Community care has not been shown to be cheaper," he said. "But you can provide it at a cost that can eventually be funded from 바카라사이트 savings from hospital closures -- provided this money can be protected."

More Government funding for mental care and more regard to 바카라사이트 long-term implications of policies were needed, he said.

Mrs Bottomley also heard about breakthroughs in 바카라사이트 study of schizophrenia, from state-of-바카라사이트-art brain imaging machines to psychological approaches.

Senior lecturer Liz Kuipers reported on 바카라사이트 success of unfashionable psychological techniques in helping 바카라사이트 psychotic. "A wide variety of people hold beliefs without evidence," she said. "Even some political beliefs might be based on an ideological basis ra바카라사이트r than empiricism." By gently challenging such beliefs, her pilot study has shown some success.

The scientists finished by telling 바카라사이트 ministers of problems with its prestigious new centre for integrating genetic and environmental approaches to psychiatry, funded by 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council.

David Goldberg, director of research and development, said: "We would have a breakthrough in some of 바카라사이트se fields if we had somewhere to put 바카라사이트se scientists." He is looking for Pounds 4-6 million for a building.