London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Islington 1966

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]

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with referrals from a variety of sources.
Referrals

Total number of persons referred to the Mental Health Section by general practitioners, hospitals, local education authorities, police, etc.

Mentally IllSubnormal and Severely SubnormalTotal
Males40372475
Females58854642
Totals9911261,117

The total number in community care at the end of the year was 829. The joint
arrangement with the London Borough of Hackney for emergency duty at night and during
weekends continued to work very satisfactorily.
There was closer association with catchment hospitals both for the mentally ill
and for the subnormal. Two social workers continued to attend weekly ward rounds, and
this has afforded an opportunity for visiting patients and getting to know the nursing
staff.
The Borough arranged a full programme for the first national Mental Health Week
which was observed in June. This resulted in social workers being asked to give talks
on mental health to schools and various other groups in the Borough, and other
agencies' have increasingly used the social workers in a consultative capacity in the
psychiatric field.
The experimental arrangement made early in 1965 of seconding a psychiatric social
worker to general practitioners in a group practice for one session a week proved so
successful that it has become a permanent arrangement. Patients with emotional problems
were selected by the general practitioner and then seen regularly by the social worker
for long or short-term help. The main work was undertaken at the surgery, but
occasionally the general practitioner requested home visits by the social worker if
this seemed appropriate to the particular patient. The work has been both preventive
and supportive, and aimed at providing effective casework help at the general practice
stage.
The building of Rosemary Junior Training School was completed in the spring and
has proved a delight for both pupils and staff. The school has attracted many visitors
from this country and from abroad. Apart from a garden and playground at ground level,
this purpose-built school has extensive play space on the roof. There is a well
equipped kitchen and meals are cooked on the premises. It is designed to accommodate a
total of 112 children, including a Special Care Unit for 12 children with multiple
handicaps. Although part of the main building and with easy access to the kitchen and
to the school hall, the Unit has a separate entrance and its own garden. The school
was officially opened during Mental Health Week, Lord Taylor of Harlow performing the
opening ceremony.
The senior Training Centres at the Archway and at Camden Road continued to do
good work, with industrial work and craftwork featuring in the curriculum. Both held
Open Days during Mental Health Week.
Attendances at the three training centres during the year were as follows:-
68