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- 55 -
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
Mr. D. T. Baldwin
Principal Mental Welfare Officer
The mental health service continued to expand during the year
the total referrals from all sources being 1,447, representing an
increase of twenty-one per cent over the referrals for 1966. Referrals
from hospitals, both general and psychiatric, increased by forty-seven
per cent, whilst the number referred by general practitioners remained
substantially the same as in 1966. The increase in the number of
referrals from hospital sources may be accounted for by the continued
availability of the services of mental welfare officers at psychiatric
out-patient clinics and the resultant increase in referrals for
community care of patients discharged from hospitals,,
Since the passing of the Mental Health Act, 1959, much publicity
has been given by way of the press and television to the problems of
mental health and facilities available for treatment. The consequent
awareness of these matters by the public and their increasing willingness
to avail themselves of the facilities available is, no doubt, reflected
in the increasing use that is made of the service.
STAFF
The staff, in addition to the Principal Mental Welfare Officer
and his Deputy, consists of seven Senior Mental Welfare Officers/Social
Workers, three Mental Welfare Officers/Social Workers and two Trainee
Social Workers.
During the year under review one Senior Mental Welfare Officer
successfully completed a one-year course for the Certificate in Social
Work at the National Institute for Social Work, and a Mental Welfare
Officer was seconded by the Council in September, 1967. for a two-year
course for the Certificate at the Sheffield College of Technology.
A student from Bedford College of the University of London spent
one month in the department for the purpose of obtaining practical
experience in connection with her course for the Diploma in Social
Studies.
EMERGENCY CALL ARRANGEMENTS
A twenty-four hour service for emergency cases is maintained by
the department in conjunction with the Borough of Hammersmith's Mental
Health Service and this, together with the emergency call arrangements
jointly operated by this Council and the City of Westminster, continued
to meet the calls made on the department at night, weekends and public
holidays.
PSYCHIATRIC DAY CENTRE
The Ladbroke Day Centre is now functioning satisfactorily, with
a capacity attendance of twenty-three persons. During the year five
persons improved sufficiently to return to work and are now maintaining
themselves in the community. A further three went to work and on
relapse returned to the Day Centre, thus obviating their admission
to hospital. The Supervisor maintained a steady flow of light industrial
work for commercial firms and was thus able to keep the members of the
centre fully occupied.