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79
employment after hospital admissions, personal relationships within
the hostel and family problems in relation to mental illness. This
group has greatly assisted in developing a sense of community
within the hostel and has strengthened the relationships between
residents and staff.
During the year work was started on a quiet room attached to
the drawing-room in the hostel and this will greatly add to the
amenities and enable patients to split up in the evenings, particularly
when the television set is in use.

Occupational therapy
Domiciliary occupational therapy with the mentally ill has
proved itself to be a very valuable addition to the work of the
mental health social workers. The chronic patients who are difficult
of access can be helped and encouraged to improve their
living conditions and eventually to move on to day centre
attendance or possibly even to employment. The occupational
therapist works in close co-operation with voluntary services and
this combination has proved extremely fruitful. For very severely
handicapped patients who cannot leave their homes she has found
work and has also developed a number of useful contacts in the
area. During the year the occupational therapist paid weekly
visits to about 20 patients in their own homes. As the patients'
addresses are scattered over a wide area of the borough, the
number of patients referred and frequency of visiting was a degree
limited by the time factor but it is hoped that this aspect can be
improved in the passage of time.
Day hospitals
There are now three day hospitals for the mentally ill within
the borough, viz :—
West Park and St. George's Day Hospital, Tooting Grove
Up to 60 patients can be treated here and the Council is responsible
for the salary of the occupational therapist and for the halftime
mental health social worker.
Tooting Bec Day Hospital
Approximately 50 patients are looked after from the area and
the Council provides a half-time mental health social worker.