London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

London County Council 1958

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Table: Table (iv)—continued.

Table (iv)—continued.

19571958
No.%No.%
(c) on temporary certificate480.6390.6
(d) on urgency order420.6470.7
(e) as returned escapee or under Magistrates' Courts Act7260.4
(f) certified (sections 14/16)1,41419.01,21417.3
Died560.8691.0
Miscellaneous80.1——
7,439100.07,016100.0

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The overall picture is that of a reduction in the proportion of cases certified and an
increase in voluntary and non-statutory patients. Over the two year period since 1956,
the proportion of patients entering mental hospital who have been certified has shown
a marked reduction particularly in the older age groups: reductions are for the under
65s, 21.0 per cent., aged 65-79, 34.2 per cent. and aged 80 and over, 43.2 per cent. As in
previous years, cases referred from casualty departments showed the lowest percentage
of admissions to mental hospital.

Table: (b) Observation ward cases

(b) Observation ward cases

19571958
No.%No.%
Discharged by medical officer1,31733.51,29634.7
Transferred to general ward651.7651.7
Admitted to mental hospital—
(a) as voluntary patient1,47737.71,35836.4
(b) as non-statutory patient:
(i) to Tooting Bec661.77420
(ii) other hospitals681.71062.8
(c) with temporary certificate or as returned escapee451.1411.1
(d) certified (sections 14/16)82621.072919.5
Died561.4561.5
Miscellaneous80.2130.3
3,928100.03,738100.0

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There was a marginal reduction in the proportion of observation ward cases
admitted to mental hospitals—voluntary patients and certifications both fell but this was
offset to some extent by an increased proportion of non-statutory patients. Only 11.9
per cent. of the observation ward cases were aged 65 or more.
There were differences in the proportion of various disposals from the five major
observation wards (A to E) and from a group of small units based at mental hospitals (F).

Table: These are as follows:

These are as follows:

A %B %C %D %E %F %
Discharged by medical officer52.632.246.626.131.19.9
Admitted to mental hospital—
(i) as voluntary or non-statutory patient17.048.133.640.138.371.3
(ii) with temporary certificate0.40.81.2—4.30.2
(iii) certified (sections 14/16)25.716.215.423.524.416.4
Percentage certified of those admitted to mental hospital—195757.121.636.744.044.422.5
195859.624.830.737.036.418.6

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The highest discharge rates, as in previous years, occurred in cases referred from
hospitals—46.0 per cent. among cases referred from casualty departments and 40.8 per
cent. from general wards compared with an average of 32.6 per cent. from other
sources. Also, as formerly, the highest certification rate (43.0 per cent.) for those
admitted to mental hospital was among cases referred from non-medical sources.
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