View report page

IV COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
Referrals
Persons referred to the department showed a decrease of 12 per cent from last year, and the
number under community care decreased by 5 per cent,,
Admissions to Hospital
In addition to community care for patients and their families the mental heal th social workers
are responsible for the statutory admission where necessary of patients to hospital. Informal
and compulsory admissions for the year numbered 169 a decrease of 17 per cent from last year.
Emergency Night and Weekend Service
A designated mental health officer must, statutorily, be available at all times to deal with
emergency calls for the mental health service. This means providing a 24-hour service, seven
days a week, including bank holidays.
The mental health social workers augmented by some nursing staff provide a night and weekend
duty service on a rota basis. This emergency service operates from 5 p.m. each evening to
8.45 a.m. the following morning and at weekends from 5 p.m. on Fridays to 8.45 am. on Mondays,
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.
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. Four applications were received this year for approval.
Short-Term Care
Temporary care is arranged in homes and hospitals for mentally subnormal patients to give
relatives a welcome relief and to allow them to take a holiday Arrangements were made for 20
patients this year.
Residential Hostel Accommodation
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 1ocal authorities and voluntary associations. Where patients are in
employment or have other incomes, an assessment is made to determine their contribution towards
their maintenance. Apart from those under guardianship, 39 other persons were in hostels at the
end of the year and were being financially supported by the Council
- 37 -