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Trainess from all Islington centres for the mentally handicapped joined once again with other Inner
London Boroughs in the organised holiday at St. Mary's Bay, Kent. Both parents and trainees benefit
considerably from this welcome break from routine. The day nursery for mentally handicapped children
under 5 years of age is a joint venture between the Islington Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and
the Council. It continues to prove highly successful with a very happy working relationship between us.
DAY CENTRES FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS
The three day centres have continued steadily. Richmond Avenue, which is run on industrial lines
and caters for 40 patients capable of sticking to a fairly steady work routine, was almost full by the end of
the year.
The Finsbury centre (20 places), which is less structured, aims at short-term rehabilitation run on
group lines. The patients are responsible for cooking their own mid-day meal and organising the daily
programme.
Experience has confirmed the need for both types of centre and a number of individuals have been
helped back to normal working life through attendance at one or other centre. For the more chronic
patients long-term attendance is indicated and centre attendance can help patients to live fuller and happier
lives and it also affords support and relief to their relatives.
The third day centre, the Archway Citadel (opened at the end of 1968 and run in collaboration with
the Salvation Army) is for 16 psycho-geriatric patients. The numbers built up quickly during 1969 and it is
now a happy and flourishing centre. Many elderly people can, through regular attendance, be maintained in
reasonable mental health thus preventing, or at least delaying, their re-admission to a psychiatric hospital.
It is almost five years since the birth of the Islington Mental Health Service and in spite of a necessarily
limited budget, each year has shown some expansion and readjustment according to current need. Much
still awaits to be done, particularly in the field of residential services, and we look forward to further growth
and development.

The total number in community care at the end of the year was 775 (817).
45 (34) mentally subnormal patients were provided with short term residential care during the year.
Of these 22 (18) was at the Council's expense and 23 (16) in National Health Service Hospitals.
At the end of the year the number of patients supported financially by the Council in various
residential homes and hostels totalled 62 (47), 35 (19) mentally ill and 27 (28) mentally subnormal and
severely subnormal.
Training Centres Junior Senior
Centres 1
Places 102 100
Attendances 13,054 (15,335) 12,920 (12,528)
79