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* Each office is under the direction of a local organiser included in the total staff mentioned. Consideration is being given
to the need for the employment of an additional unit of staff to cope with increased numbers of cases.
The basis of staffing the Council's occupation centres for mentally deficient children
and adults is one supervisor for each centre plus one assistant supervisor for each 15, or
substantial part of 15, pupils on roll, except the first 15. At present, 17 supervisors and
30 assistant supervisors are employed, of whom six possess the qualification of the
National Association for Mental Health for staffs of occupation centres. Women
attendants are employed as required, provided that at no centre is the ratio of the total
number of staff (i.e., supervisors and attendants) to pupils of 1 to 10 exceeded. Two
boot-repairing and two woodwork instructors are employed at the four elder boys'
centres. Each instructor undertakes duty at two centres. An organiser of occupation
centres is employed to exercise general supervisory control over all the centres. This
position is at present held in an acting capacity by one of the supervisors.
A consultant psychiatrist is employed for two sessions a week as medical adviser
in mental health on matters other than those relating to mental deficiency and child
guidance. One psychiatric social worker, who is also employed on the work of supervising
mental defectives living in the community, undertakes part-time the visitation
of patients boarded out in Mental After Care Association homes and other miscellaneous
duties in connection with the psychiatric care and after care service.
A senior mental welfare officer, 17 mental welfare officers and five assistants are
authorised to take initial proceedings in providing care and treatment for persons
suffering from mental illness. All the officers are men.
Training of staff
Almost all staff employed by the Council in connection with its mental health services
possess appropriate qualifications. All new staff are carefully instructed and initiated into
their duties by experienced officers. Refresher courses have been arranged periodically
for occupation centre staff Visits to mental deficiency institutions and other establishments
are also arranged for staff
Co-ordination
Close co-operation is maintained by means of correspondence, telephone and meetings,
where necessary, with the staff of the four metropolitan regional hospital boards,
hospital management committees and boards of governors of teaching hospitals. It has
not been found necessary or practicable to consider the joint use of officers. Patients on
trial from mental hospitals are not supervised by officers of the Council. It is understood
that this work is undertaken by psychiatric social workers employed by the hospitals.
Patients on licence in London from mental deficiency institutions (throughout England