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recommended for discharge from the Army saw him during their first two weeks in
hospital. At this "assessment interview," the disablement rehabilitation officer
investigated fully the man's past work record and discussed his future plans; if
necessary he would write to the local office of the Ministry of Labour in the man's
home town for information regarding local conditions, etc., e.g., if the man's pre-war
place of employment had been bombed, it was important to know what were the
prospects for the firm's old employees. There was a second interview (" placement
interview") during the patient's last week in hospital; on this occasion all relevant
information was made available for the disablement rehabilitation officer. He had
replies to his own enquiries from local offices of the Ministry of Labour, and might
have obtained aid from other Ministry of Labour sources by using the Resettlement
Advice Service (the local resettlement advisory officer helped in many ways on
general questions outside the scope of the disablement rehabilitation officer's work),
or by referring patients to the Advisory Careers Section of Appointments Offices, where
higher education or training was sought. At the " placement interview " the
disablement rehabilitation officer also had available the psychiatrist's opinion of the
man's value in the open labour market expressed in non-medical terms, information
obtained by the vocational psychologist, and the report on the patient's progress at
his occupation. So far as was possible, the patient's future occupation was made
secure before he left the hospital.
Routine treatment for neuroses was carried on as at any neurosis centre. Group
treatment, psychodrama, discussions and educational films were used freely. A
highly successful newspaper appeared weekly from the third week of the Centre's
inception. Variety shows and one-act plays were produced by patients and nurses
for the whole hospital on an average of one every three weeks. The nurses continued
their remarkably fine work which had started at Mill Hill and showed how much they
could contribute to treatment in psychiatry.
The Centre was in existence for eleven months, during which time 1,202 patients
were treated. Practically all patients were discharged from the Army at the end of
their stay in hospital. The men as a whole were excellent material with good previous
personalities exposed to excessive war stress. The results of treatment were probably
better than seen elsewhere, partly because the material was better than that reaching
other neurosis centres, and partly because all treatment facilities were readily available
—a selected and enthusiastic group of doctors and nurses, a sympathetic and actively
helpful public and local employers, a full-time disablement rehabilitation officer from
the Ministry of Labour, adequate psychiatric social work, a vocational psychologist,
transport, pleasant environment, etc.
The Ministry of Labour did a follow-up through their employment exchanges.
In May, 1946, they reported that, out of 711 discharged more than 3 months before,
623 were at work or in training, 9 were unfit, 35 were not yet at work, 18 had not
replied to labour office enquiries, 26 replies were still outstanding from local employment
exchanges. In brief, of those ex-patients who had been back in civil life for
three months or more, and about whom information had been received, only about
7 per cent, were definitely not working, and the others had started work although no
information was available regarding their adjustment, time off work, etc.
A much more detailed study was made by the psychiatric social worker at the
Centre on 100 ex-patients resident in London three months after discharge from
hospital. Of these, 46 had had no time off work, 34 had had less than fourteen days
off work, 12 more than fourteen days off work and 8 had not yet started work. Compared
with their pre-army work status, 64 showed no change, 20 had improved their
status, 12 had deteriorated and 4 were not in the labour market pre-war. Enquiry
into their pre-enlistment work records showed that 80 were satisfactory, 16 unsatisfactory,
and 4 had never been in the labour market.
In conclusion, it is felt that increasing difficulties in finding employment, as the
labour market becomes more stable, will lead to an increasing number of persons with