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105
establishment of this work as a permanent part of the service and to the employment
of a second teacher to allow of more frequent visits. 33 defectives are at present receiving
tuition in this way.
Short term
care
The Council has taken full advantage of the authority given in Ministry of Health
Circular 5/52 to provide under section 28 of the National Health Service Act, 1946,
temporary care for periods not normally exceeding eight weeks for mentally deficient
persons when removal from home is necessary in an emergency such as the illness of
the mother. Since 1952 when the circular was issued the number of persons dealt with
has increased from year to year. The number rose from 165 in 1956 to 244 in 1957.
Of these, 176 were admitted to mental deficiency hospitals and 68 were admitted to
various approved or private homes. No charge either to the Council or to the liable
relatives is made when admission is to a hospital, but the cost of maintenance in approved
or private homes falls on the Council, and until 1957 the liable relatives were required
to re-imburse the cost to the Council, subject to abatement if they had not had
sufficient means to pay the whole cost. At the end of 1957 the Council decided, on the
grounds of equity, that from 1st January, 1958, all short term care for mentally deficient
persons should be provided free of charge to their relatives.
Long term
care
As stated previously, the Council makes use of homes provided by voluntary
organisations for the care of mental patients. During 1957, 124 chronic and senile
psychiatric patients were maintained by the Council in such homes, 115 in homes
owned or sponsored by the Mental After-Care Association, four at Parnham House,
run by the National Association for Mental Health, four at a hostel run by the Jewish
Board of Guardians, and one at Finchden Manor, Tenterden, Kent.
Recuperative
holidays
The Council also provides recuperative holidays for persons recovering from mental
illness. During 1957, 129 persons recovering from mild psychiatric illness were granted
holidays for periods of two to three weeks in general recuperative holiday homes, and
22 who had had more serious breakdowns were sent for similar periods to homes
sponsored by the Mental After-Care Association. In addition, 28 persons were accommodated
for periods up to 12 weeks at the Mental After-Care Association homes at
Dartford, Chcam and Chiswick, which provide specially for the rehabilitation of
younger patients capable of work. As a result of the closing of two houses sponsored by
the Mental After-Care Association during the year, difficulty was experienced in placing
patients in need of recuperative holidays. The total of 179 compares with 212 in 1956.
Social clubs
and
rehabilitation
centre
Since 1948, the Council has contributed 90 per cent. of the approved cost of the
attendance of London patients attending the psychotherapeutic social clubs run by the
Institute of Social Psychiatry, of which there are now six in London. These clubs,
which meet on one evening a week, provide in practical form the means by which
mentally ill patients can secure social re-adjustment and maintain normal social relationships
with the guidance of a psychiatrist and a social therapist. In 1949 the Institute
started a rehabilitation centre for the mentally ill and the Council has made a similar
grant in respect of London patients attending this establishment. The centre is open
each morning and afternoon on five days a week and is staffed by an occupational
therapist and two assistants, with a doctor from the Institute giving regular medical
supervision. A wide variety of occupations is carried on and, having regard to the fact
that most of the patients referred to the centre are difficult cases for whom other treatments
have failed, a satisfactory proportion of the patients attending derive benefit.
During 1957, 60 London cases attended the centre for periods ranging from two weeks
to the whole year. At the end of the year, 13 had been attending for an insufficient
time to assess the value of attendance. Of the remaining 47, 13 were discharged home,
to a job or elsewhere for further training, four were making good progress, 11 were
benefiting from long-term occupational activities, seven returned to hospital for further
psychiatric treatment, eight ceased attendance and four were discharged as unsuitable.