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34
Cottages for
married
staff.
50. Owing to the difficulty experienced by certain married members of the staff
at Farmfield in obtaining suitable accommodation in the neighbourhood for themselves
and their families, it was decided to erect six cottages on the Farmfield estate,
for occupation, at an agreed rent, by married employees.
Patients'
dietary.
51. A scale of diet for patients based on that for patients at Brunswick House,
Mistley, with certain modifications, has been adopted for use at Farmfield in substitution
for a provisional scale which has been followed experimentally since
the opening of the institution.
Laundrywork.
52. Arrangements have been made for some of the patients laundry work to
be done in the institution by patients' labour, instead of by a contractor. This
arrangement has resulted in a considerable financial saving.
New works.
53. The following new works at Farmfield have been authorised and put in
hand, viz., conversion into workshops of a detached building containing cells which
were provided for refractory patients when the institution was in use as a home
for inebriates; provision of external sanitarv accommodation.
Brunswick
House,
Mistley —
Purchase of
freehold.
Brunswick House.
54. The freehold interests in Brunswick House, Mistley, and the cottage
adjacent thereto which is used as a residence for the superintendent of the institution
have been acquired by the Council.
Proposed
extension.
55. Consideration has been given to a scheme for an extension of Brunswick
House in order to accommodate an additional 25 patients, and for the alteration
of the existing buildings to give improved kitchen and bathroom accommodation.
Patients'
dietary.
56. The diet scale for patients at Brunswick House has been varied by an
increase in the issue of fresh fish.
Scout troop.
57. The boy scout movement continues to exercise a beneficial influence on
the patients. The scout troop has been extended from 12 to 18 members.
South Side
Home,
StreathamUse
as a
hostel.
South Side Home.
58. It was decided to use the South Side Home, Streatham, as far as possible
as a hostel for patients suitable for trial in domestic service outside the institution,
under circumstances which would allow of their being supervised by the superintendent,
with a view perhaps to final discharge from institutional care at a later date.
For this purpose patients who have improved under care in other institutions may
be transferred to the South Side Home, where the residential neighbourhood affords
opportunities for placing patients locally. At the end of 1926, 10 patients had been
placed thus, either in residential or in daily domestic service.
Allotments.
59. The Council s tenancy of land used as allotments for cultivation by patients
at the South Side Home was terminated during 1926, as the land was required for
building purposes.
Girl guides.
Visiting
chaplain.
60. A hut has been erected for the use of the girl guides.
61. The Rev. W. J. Latham, M.A., the Vicar of Immanuel, Streatham Common,
who held the chaplaincy of the South Side Home, having resigned the living, his
successor, the Rev. W. F. Leadbitter, B.A., was appointed to be visiting chaplain
of the institution, with effect from 1st October, 1926.
Need for
further
accommods¬.
tion.
(c) Prospective accommodation.
62. In addition to the proposals to extend Farmfield and Brunswick House
(referred to in paras. 48 and 55), consideration was given during 1926 to the possibility
of providing further accommodation to meet immediate and prospective demands.
At the end of the year, however, definite proposals had not been agreed upon.