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care workers of all areas, is answerable to the "Co-ordinator of
Community Care" who, in turn, is responsible directly to the
Medical Officer of Health.
Such an establishment, whilst allowing individual officers to
practise their own particular specialities will not only secure their
participation in the settlement of the more common problems of
community care and ensure closer co-operation and consultation
with their colleagues, but will also lead to greater flexibility of
the service as a whole. Appropriate consultative machinery has
been devised to enable "policy" to be sensitive to and shaped by
peripheral problems and pressures.
A further innovation is to be the establishment of Combined
Centres which, under one roof, will cater for the needs of several
categories such as the handicapped, the mentally ill and the
elderly. In addition to meeting the present financial restrictions
which are severely handicapping schemes for purpose-built
centres, the advantages of combined centres not only include
maximum integration of all types of cases thereby stimulating
greater social awareness and a sense of "belonging" to the
community but also the economical use of staff, supplies and
equipment. Moreover, the effects of erratic attendance, which could
bring a separated establishment to a standstill, has very little
impact on a combined centre which can make suitable adjustments.
Furthermore, when limited funds are finally made available,
expansion of this kind of service will bring benefits to a wider
range of individuals in all groups needing community care.
With the introduction of this new Community Care Service,
procedures regarding the placement of individuals into centres, into
Part III accommodation, into hostels for the mentally ill and
mentally subnormal and of the homeless into emergency accommodation,
have been reappraised and, where necessary, improved.
Although area staffs will be located at departmental headquarters,
when possible, neighbourhood offices readily accessible
to the public in the vicinity will be made available for local
interviews.
Under this scheme, an enlarged administrative section has been
organised not only to provide direct support to social workers
and other professional colleagues but also to manage the day to day
problems arising with regard to the ancillary services such as
combined centres, day clubs, luncheon clubs, meals-on-wheels,
bathing, incontinent laundry, etc.
By the formulation and implementation of these new ideas
which constitute a substantial advance on previously held doctrines,
the Borough demonstrates its understanding of modern social