View report page

79
Psychiatric social clubs
The Tooting and Putney Clubs continue to be held weekly.
Members of the clubs select their own officers and regular meetings
are held between social workers, officers and members of the
clubs to decide on the activities to be undertaken. This year the
Tooting Club organised a very successful outing to Eastbourne,
and the Putney Club decided to organise outings on the club nights
and enjoyed such activities as a walk by the river, and a picnic.
Chellow Dene and self-contained flatlets
Chellow Dene is a psychiatric rehabilitative hostel which caters
for 21 male and female residents. It is staffed by a warden, deputy
and assistant wardens, and integrated into the mental health
services of the borough. One of the senior social workers from
the mental health section has a special responsibility for the hostel
and each resident is allocated to a social worker in the section for
casework. Rehabilitation in the context of Chellow Dene implies
a positive attitude towards work and integration of the resident
into the wider community. These are the criteria for selection.
While it is not felt that people addicted to "hard drugs" can
be accepted, as they are too disturbing for other residents, amphetamine
and barbiturate addicts, following treatment, are accepted
as also are alcoholics. On completion of a satisfactory interview,
which is carried out by the warden and the senior social worker,
the resident is invited to come into the hostel, but if there is any
doubt either on the part of the resident or the interviewers,
arrangements are made for a weekend stay in the first instance
where this is possible.
Chellow Dene is a short-stay hostel and it is imperative, therefore
for the team to work closely together and for a degree of
rehabilitation to be achieved as quickly as possible. To this end
there is close liaison between the hostel staff and the mental
health section, by regular monthly meetings and informal discussion.
The warden is also closely in touch with the Disablement
Resettlement Officer in connection with arrangements concerning
work and Industrial Therapy Units. There is also close contact
with the referring psychiatrist and the general practitioner who
visits the hostel. A meeting of residents, residential staff and
and social worker is held at the hostel every Monday when the
residents bring subjects for discussion to the group. This is a
positive way of introducing new residents to some of the difficuties
they will have in the community, and the contribution of
several ex-residents is particularly valuable in this context.
An annexe to the hostel consists of 10 self-contained flatlets
and a joint recommendation is made by the warden and the