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77
5
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
In 1965 the Mental Health Act, 1959, attained its fifth year of
operation and the growing community care services for the mentally
disordered began to make some impression on the problem of the
mentally ill and the mentally subnormal in the community. Close
links were forged with the psychiatric hospitals which serve the
area and the increased number of qualified staff in the mental
health team meant that in addition to more work being carried out,
it was work of a higher professional standard. Nevertheless,
staffing problems gave rise to a good deal of anxiety and it is
likely that this will remain so in the foreseeable future in spite of
the increased number of places on various forms of social work
courses. During the year, a good deal of thought was given to
capital building projects which, if and when they attain fruition,
will greatly add to the strength of the mental health services in
the area. A good deal of thought, too, was given to training
methods in the Training Centres and a supply of new play material
was obtained which has proved to be immensely valuable. Close
contacts were maintained with the local branch of the National
Association for Mentally Handicapped Children and some of the
suggestions which this organisation put forward we were able to
adopt.
Although progress was undoubtedly made during the year, a
great deal remains to be done, for the community care of the
mentally disordered is probably the most rapidly growing part of
the public health services. I feel, however, that we have the basis
of an outstanding service in Wandsworth which, in the years ahead,
should further develop. In the following, some account is given
of the work during the year.
STATUTORY DUTIES UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTH
ACT, 1959
Statutory duties involving the admission of patients to hospital
have remained heavy. Fortunately, relationships with the hospitals
are such that it is possible to obtain beds for both the
mentally ill and the mentally subnormal without too great difficulty,
although one problem is the difficulty in obtaining beds for
adolescent patients. This, however, is a nation-wide problem and
it is hoped that eventually more adolescent beds will be made
available. At present an adolescent boy or girl who becomes
mentally ill may have to be admitted in an emergency to a large
mental hospital where treatment will only be available in a ward
with older and sometimes acutely disturbed patients.
From 1st April, 1965, the night and weekend work was undertaken
" on call" from home bases, in combination with the London
Boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, and the arrangement
worked well.