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We have had much help on the general medical and geriatric side from
our colleagues at St, Andrew's Hospital and are most grateful for this.
This policy of admitting selected dementing patients has led to problems
of disposal, and turnover has suffered accordingly.
There are sometimes considerable delays in getting patients into
Welfare Homes and the shortage of long stay geriatric accommodation is a
national problem. My control of the long stay female beds at Long Grove
has helped with this problem. On account of this joint appointment, I am
occasionally able to admit an urgent case to St. Clement's, if it appears
the appropriate unit, by arranging a quick transfer of a long stay patient
to Long Grove. Flexibility also exists between Dundee Ward and the Day
Hospital and it is often possible to discharge patients earlier if they
can be supported by attendance at a Day Hospital or Day Centre.
Day Hospital. Both the total admissions and the patient attendances
have increased during the year and the Day Hospital continues to play a
valuable role in the area. We have emphasised the importance of links
with the Day Centre at Trinity Church, Poplar and occasionally patients
are referred back to the Day Hospital from Trinity for assessment. The
Day Hospital offers support for patients and relatives and also a useful
means of assessing the severity of behavioural problems which may be
difficult to assess on an out-patient basis, particularly when there is
tension between the patient and her relatives. Valuable information about
social conditions is obtained by the Day Hospital Sister, or Nurse who
regularly goes out on the ambulance to collect patients for the Day Hospital.
In September, following negotiations with the Medical Officer of
Health for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the Day Centre at Trinity
Church, Poplar, was opened for a second day per week. Since the end of
the year Tower Hamlets Borough Council extended the Day Centre at Pritchards
Road, E. 2. to take geriatric patients on two days a week, and appropriate
transport has been arranged. The support and interest of Tower Hamlets
and the Medical Officer of Health has been most encouraging.
This Council undertakes all mental health functions for the Cityof London
on an agency basis as provided for in Section 5(2) of the London Government
Act 1963.
45.