Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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eligible cases direct to the nominated persons, but in fact no eligible persons needing
assistance were brought to notice during the year.
The Council made a further contribution of £200 to the National Association
for Mental Health in recognition of the Association's various general services in the
field of mental health for which the Association receives no specific payment from
local health authorities.
The Institute of Social Psychiatry again received a grant of 90 per cent. of the
cost of the occupation centre and the five psychotherapeutic social clubs administered
by the Institute to benefit mentally sick persons living in the community and needing
social readjustment.
Medical
Adviser
on
mental
health
Dr. A. A. W. Petrie, C.B.E., retired on 31st March, 1951, and was succeeded by
Dr. J. A. Herd, M.D., Ch.B., D.P.M., D.I.H., as part-time medical adviser on mental
health. His duties with the Council include advice on all matters relating to mental
health (except those relating to child guidance and mental deficiency), the medical
supervision of the work of the mental welfare officers and of the care and after care
services for persons suffering from psychiatric illness.
Sources of information | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | Totals from 1.4.14 to 31.12.51 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Supervision section | 15 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 1,561 |
Local education authority | 389 | 357 | 439 | 453 | 14,983 |
Police Authority (Section 8) | 32 | 28 | 39 | 31 | 1,941 |
Transfers from Prison (Section 9) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 229 | |
Transfers from approved school (Section 9) | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 565 |
From hospitals and institutions | 87 | 111 | 89 | 103 | 390 |
Miscellaneous | 140 | 168 | 157 | 187 | 10,300 |
Total | 667 | 678 | 739 | 784 | 29,969 |
Position at 31st December, 1951, with regard to the cases referred to in the last column of the preceding table, together with the position on the same date in the three preceding years:—
1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Detained in institutions | 7,671* | 7,720* | 7,767* | 7,809* |
Discharged from institutional care | 2,393 | 2,584 | 2,738 | 2,902 |
Removed to Mental Hospitals | 495 | 509 | 522 | 543 |
Not subject for action | 8,818 | 9,098 | 9,403 | 9,668 |
Died | 4,119 | 4,251 | 4,380 | 4,523 |
Total removed from active list | 23,496 | 24,162 | 24,810 | 25,445 |
Under guardianship | 330 | 246 | 229 | 221 |
In places of safety awaiting the presentation of a petition | 6 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
Under supervision | 3,853† | 3.964† | 4.092† | 4,222† |
In institutions awaiting the presentation of a petition | 21 | 54 | 45 | 52 |
Still under consideration | 62 | 9 | 4 | 21 |
Total remaining on active list | 4,272‡ | 4,284‡ | 4,375‡ | 4,524‡ |
Grand Total | 27,768 | 28,446 | 29,185 | 29,969 |
* This figure includes cases on licence who are visited at regular intervals by officers of the Council on behalf of the Regional hospital boards as follows:—
1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 |
---|---|---|---|
353 | 338 | 366 | 352 |
† In addition to the cases under supervision persons known to the local authority to be mentally defective but not subject to bo dealt with, are visited on a voluntary basis.
1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 |
---|---|---|---|
999 | 970 | 968 | 1,020 |
‡ Of these the following were awaiting institutional care.
1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 |
---|---|---|---|
70 | 135 | 139 | 154 |