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Guardianship
Three severely subnormal patients remained under guardianship of the Council at the end
of the year. One person was discharged from guardianship.
These patients for whom the Council is financially responsible are placed with the Guardianship
Society and are cared for by being boarded-out with specially chosen families in the
Sussex area.
Provision of Services for City of London
This Council undertakes all mental health functions for the City of London on an agency
basis as provided for in Section 5(2) of the London Government Act 1963.
St. Clement's Psychogeriatric In-Patlent Unit and Day Hospital
The Consultant Psychiatrist to St. Clement's Hospital, J.J. Cockburn,M.B.,M.R.C.P.I.,
D.P.M., has kindly supplied the following report on the year's work of the hospital's
psychogeriatric in-patient unit and day hospital.
The general policy of the unit was described in detail in the two previous annual
reports and will not be repeated now. It will be seen from the graph that the unit was
again actively employed. Though admission figures show a decline from 1966, they are
still at a high level compared with previous years. The lower figures appear to be due
to a reduced demand for admission particularly to Dundee ward at the beginning of the
year. Requests for admission increased towards the end of 1967, and admissions to Dundee
for the last half of the year (63) were nearly at the 1966 rate. Both the Day Hospital
and Dundee ward continued to play a valuable part in the general policy of supporting old
people in the community.
As before, a flexible policy has been pursued and severely physically ill patients
have been accepted for admission to the Day Hospital, many of whom were originally
referred by consultant geriatricians in the area. As before, we have had much support
from geriatricians, and general physicians and surgeons, and this co-operation has
enabled old people to be supported at home longer. More efficient utilisation of resources
has resulted and old people can be admitted quickly to a bed when the need does arise.
The importance of communication and discussion has been mentioned in previous reports.
The quarterly meetings continue to be well attended, and provide an opportunity for
medical and nursing staff to meet local authority and voluntary social workers. The
long stay bed requirements for the elderly are being considered by several committees in
the region, with the aim of making the area self-sufficient."
STATISTICS
Statistics relating to the Mental Health Services appear on pages 110 to 112.
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