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Subjects considered at the 3 meetings of the Co-ordinating Committee
included: i
Early notification of Rent Arrears to the Ministry of Social Security.
The establishment of a Sub-Committee of Senior Officers to deal with
early notifications of rent arrears.
Co-operation with the London Electricity Board and the North Thames
Gas Board over heavy arrears.
An informal discussion with a representative of the North Thames Gas
Board.
An informal discussion with a representative of the Borough Treasurer's
Department about co-operation over arrears of rates.
The co-option of a Senior Probation Officer to the Committee.
The Children's Officer reported briefly on 30 cases of children referred to her as being neglected,beyond control, in moral danger or in
need of care and protection; and the Principal Social Worker (Health Services) on 91 of the Case Conferences held during the year.
Co-operation with General Practitioners
476 children were referred from School Medical examinations for
specialist opinion. The General Practitioners were consulted on
all these and preferred to make their own arrangements for 21
children. The rest were referred to the appropriate School Health
Clinic or Hospital department.
The Mental Health Service Report
Referrals and Community Care
Last year serious staff shortages were reported and the situation did
not improve during the year ended 31 December 1968, with two members of
staff leaving the service, one to take up a deputy principal's position
with another London Borough and the other for domestic reasons. In addition to the member of staff already away on the second year of a two-year
course, another member of staff was seconded on a 1-year professional training course.
The number of cases referred to the Mental Health Services and initial
visits paid, increased considerably but because of the staffing situation,
there had to be more discrimation in the selection of patients accepted for
community care. The number of patients admitted to hospital showed a decline over the previous years and this was considered to be due to the increased use of out-patient facilities at three local hospitals, Fulham,
St. Mary Abbots and St. Charles's.
Liaison with Hospitals
The mental health social-workers worke-d in close collaboration with
the catchment area psychiatric hospitals, Banstead and Springfield, a member of staff attending the weekly discharge conferences at both hospitals
and at the out-patient clinic at the Psychiatric Unit at St. Mary Abbots
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