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61
health, including representatives of the Department of Health, Regional Hospital Boards, catchment
and teaching hospitals and general practitioners. Information has been obtained from many other
local authorities for the purpose of comparison and studies have been made of existing "model"
services here and in other countries.
Dr. Hailstone expressed strongly his opinion that in order to provide a model comprehensive
community care service related to his findings specialist guidance would be required, and recommended
that as a first step a psychiatrist be appointed as a consultant to the City of Westminster
Health Department and as a Co-ordinator of Psychiatric Services.
Although it is evident that the magnitude of the task and present economic restrictions will
prevent immediate large scale expansion, the appointment of a part-time psychiatrist has been
agreed in principle and the slight increase in the Mental Health Section's staff establishment is
stimulating and encouraging. It is now confidently anticipated that any future development will be
along admittedly long but correctly signposted roads.
Training Centres—Future Proposals
Following the re-organisation of London Local Government in 1965, Westminster was unfortunately
one of the areas in the metropolis without a training centre within its own boundaries.
Neighbouring authorities have co-operated most generously in continuing to provide training
centre places for Westminster patients. It is, however, understandable that the various authorities
concerned need the places in the training centres occupied by Westminster residents for their
own patients; and during 1968 the City Council was requested to make arrangements at a date
to be mutually agreed to remove some of the Westminster patients.
Co-incident with these requests the Westminster Chest Clinic vacated the ground floor accommodation
formerly occupied at the Maternal and Child Welfare Centre at No. 1, Ebury Bridge Road,
S.W.1. The City Council's Health Committee felt that the vacated accommodation would be
suitable after certain works of adaptation had been carried out, for use as a small Junior Training
Centre. Provision has accordingly been made in the Committee's Estimates for 1969/1970 for
the necessary adaptations and subsequent running costs, with a view to the Centre opening in
September, 1969.
The Medical Officer of Health also received a request to remove from a Training Centre in a
neighbouring Borough some 12 adolescent girls whose places were urgently needed by patients
in that borough. Arrangements have accordingly been made as a temporary expedient to use
accommodation which is available during the day at St. Judes Hostel in Lancefield Street, W.10,
as a training centre for these girls. No works of adaptation will be required and it is hoped that the
centre will also come into operation in September, 1969.
The City Council's long-term proposals for training centres in Westminster were set out in
detail in the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1967. The projects include an
80 place (40 adults, 40 children) centre in Lisson Grove, and a 100 place Junior Training Centre
for which a site has yet to be found. The proposals set out above, therefore, provide for only a
minor proportion of the need which exists, but will at least form a beginning to alleviate the demand
for this type of service.
Mentally Disordered Patients
The number of patients referred in 1968 totalled 1,681 (1967—1,328); 583 patients were
admitted to psychiatric hospitals—informally or compulsorily (1967—485); 677 patients were
received into community care (1967—499). All other cases were investigated and appropriate
advice or assistance given.
Patients in Community Care 1968 1967
Mentally ill 565 542
Subnormal and severely subnormal 313 300
Residential Care 1968 1967
Mentally ill 35 40
Subnormal and severely subnormal 41 43
In addition, there are 20 subnormal and severely subnormal children in care of the Children's
Department in residential homes.