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49
CO-ORDINATION
Case Conferences are held at the request of any social worker or agency interested in the family.
During the year 32 conferences were held at which 127 families were discussed.
MENTAL HEALTH
During 1970-71 the general services of the Mental Health Section have been well maintained.
The social clubs for the mentally ill are meeting regularly and there has been a noteworthy improvement
in many chronically sick patients. For the first time arrangements were made for club members
at Christmas to go to the pantomime on ice at Wembley Stadium; this was a very successful outing
and was the first public entertainment visited by several of the patients for many years.
Both Ebury Bridge Junior Training School and St. Judes Elder Girls Centre for subnormal and
severely subnormal patients which opened in 1969 are now well established. The elder girls centre
is full and the Ebury Bridge Training School has now 33 children, almost the maximum number it is
possible to accommodate. At both the centres the average daily attendance is extremely high, which
is the best indication of the high standard of training and care given by the staff, as it demonstrates
clearly that the trainees are happy and their parents are well satisfied with the services provided. The
Inner London Education Authority is taking over the training school on 1 st April, 1971, in accordance
with the requirements of recent legislation which is transferring the training of mentally handicapped
children to the local education authority and it is pleasing to record that the Inner London Education
Authority is impressed by the high standard of this centre in respect of the calibre of staff, the training
of the children and the premises and equipment provided by the City Council.
Although St. Judes Hostel for boys and men has still had some problems, these are largely related
to its geographical situation, located as it is in an area which at present is being cleared for redevelopment
; but the present wardens have worked hard to provide the residents with a home life and have,
in addition to their excellent general support to the residents, organised outings and excursions
which have been thoroughly enjoyed. There is little doubt that the general atmosphere of the hostel
has markedly improved and that the morale of the residents and of the staff is higher than ever before.
During the year Dr. B. Snowdon, Consultant Psychiatrist, was appointed for five sessions weekly
to the Health Department. Dr. Snowdon's primary duties are in the field of mental health and the
contribution he has made to the Mental Health Section has been of a high order. He has concerned
himself with improving liaison with teaching hospitals, has developed in-service training through
seminars and individual support, and has given advice on policy. Through this members of the staff
have been enabled to give a higher standard of service to their clients and the City's prestige in
respect of its mental health services is being enhanced.
During the recent months, much time and thought has been given by the City Council to the
setting up of a Social Services Department. Dr. Snowdon has been able to act as a most valuable
link between departments and has held joint seminars with field workers for other disciplines and
mental health social workers who will soon be joining the Social Services Department which is
aiming ultimately at a fully integrated service.
Since the passing of the Social Services Act the Mental Health section has been very concerned
with ensuring that in the new department the services to the mentally disordered will be maintained.
There is general recognition that the full integration of the City's social work service will be in the
long run a great step forward and will particularly benefit the mentally disordered in that they will no
longer be seen as a class apart but will be regarded in terms of their social problems and their sometime
isolation through categorisation will gradually disappear.
When the City of Westminster came into being on 1 st April, 1965, the Mental Health section was
regarded as a developing service. At the end of 1970 it can be seen that very real progress has been
made although expansion is far from complete. Nevertheless, the Mental Health section entering the
new Social Services Department is mature and well established and able to take its proper place in
the new Department's services.