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In addition to their normal full day service, the mental health social
workers also provide a night and weekend duty service on a rota basis, but in
order to provide a viable scheme, it was necessary to expand the number of
officers available for rota duty after office hours. For this purpose It was
decided to utilise the services of selected senior trained nursing staff to
relieve the burden on the social workers, thereby also creating a working
liaison on the districts between these two sections of the health services.
This emergency service operates from 5 p.m. on Friday to 8.45 a.m. on
Monday, during which period all requests are directed to the duty doctor at
St. Clement's Hospital, Bow Road, E. 3. who contacts the mental health officer
on duty as required.
Details of any action taken are reported to the Principal Social Worker
(Mental Health) for any necessary follow-up.
Approval of Doctors under Mental Health Act 1959. The Mental Health
Act 1959 provides that one of the two medical recommendations required for the
compulsory removal of mentally disordered persons to hospital shall be made by
a doctor approved for this purpose by the local health authority as having
special experience In the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders.
Applications received during the year from practitioners for approval numbered
7 and following the appropriate consultation with members of the advisory
panel all the applications were approved for a period of five years.
Short-term Care. Temporary care is arranged In homes or hospitals
for mentally subnormal patients to give relatives a welcome relief and to allow
them to take a holiday.
Long-tern Care. In addition to the patients placed with the Guardianship
Society, one other is boarded out with a family.
Residential Hostel Accomodation. The Council accepts financial responsibility
for the care of mentally disordered persons in residential hostel
accommodation provided in the Borough by a voluntary organisation, and in
hostels provided by other local authorities and voluntary associations. Where
patients are in employment or have other incomes, an assessment is made to
determine their contribution towards their maintenance.
Special Care Units. A Special Care Unit for Juniors operates at the
Cornwall Avenue Training Centre, which caters for those trainees who are too
severely handicapped to be able to be taught and trained with other juniors.
In addition there is a special unit in one of the Council's day nurseries
for severely handicapped children under 5 years of age.
40.