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Accommodation consists of an activities room, a kitchen and an office and meeting room.
The centre is run as an interdependent group, the patients being expected to contribute
to the running of the group as far as their problems will allow them. One of the aims of this
group structure is to encourage a sense of responsibility both towards individuals and the
group as a whole.
Organisation
Patients and staff plan a weekly programme and job rota on a Friday and discuss the day's
activities at a morning meeting.
Over the year the activities have extended from industrial work, car washing, printing,
craft work, art, painting nursery school chairs, to include working as a group for Task Force
(decorating, cleaning windows, gardening, visiting for old people), and going on weekly
outings.
An important feature has been the introduction of a weekly group meeting at which
individual and group problems are discussed.
A weekly report by the staff covers "Admissions and discharges, attendances, psychological
state of the group, and staff feelings". The patients have their own meeting, at which they
write a section on the week's events and activities.
Over the past few months the staff and social worker attached have been running a monthly
evening group for patient's relatives. This enables them to discuss and share as a group
common problems in having a relative who is mentally ill. The staff in turn can learn more of
the family situation and try to help the relatives understand and cope with some of the common
difficulties.
Attendance
In January 1967 there were five educationally subnormal school leavers, and three parttime
long term patients. All but one of the school leavers have since been discharged, three
to work, one as unsuitable.
Since January thirty-five patients have been admitted, nine of whom are now working
successfully. Three patients are currently in hospital and they are expected to return here
when well enough, as has happened with four other patients previously.
Twelve patients have been discharged, or discharged themselves after trial periods of
varying lengths, as being unsuitable or unable to benefit at this centre.
At the end of 1967 there was an attendance of eleven patients.
Examples of those helped by Day Centre attendance
1. Young woman in mid twenties, with a previous history of drug addition and psychopathic
behaviour. She attended the day centre regularly from April 1967 until her discharge to work
in December of that year. At first she was hostile, resentful and attention seeking, isolating
herself from the group, and feeling full of envy and anger towards the staff. Gradually after
several months of a tolerant, accepting, but firm approach, a short spell as an in-patient in
hospital, her behaviour and attitude improved. Continual liaison and meetings were held
between the staff concerned to prevent manipulation through interaction with the group and
staff. This girl gained insight into her emotional problems, more confidence in herself and a
determination to try and accept help instead of rejecting. She made steady progress towards
becoming a more mature person able to use her many capabilities and left in December to take a
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