London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
This page requires JavaScript
Table (iii) Initial action
| 1958 | 1959 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | |
| None possible or necessary | 1,547 | 22.0 | 1,583 | 23.0 |
| Referred for continued care* (other than at mental hospital) | 51 | 0.7 | 53 | 0.8 |
| Admitted to mental hospital— | ||||
| 355 | 5.1 | 501 | 7.3 | |
| (b) under urgency order, temporary certificate, Magistrates' Courts Act, 1952, or as returned after escape | 68 | 1.0 | 78 | 1.1 |
| Referred to psychiatrist | 193 | 2.8 | 271† | 3.9 |
| Removed to observation ward | 3,738 | 53.2 | 3,476 | 50.6 |
| Referred to Justice of the Peace other than at observation ward | 1,064 | 15.2 | 918 | 13.3 |
| 7,016 | 100.0 | 6,880 | 100.0 | |
*Referral to welfare department, sanitary authority, psychiatric social worker, general hospital, etc.
†162 were later admitted to mental hospital but only 3 were certified (sections 14/16); 15 others were
treated at out-patient clinics.
| 1958 % | 1959 % | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent action by mental welfare officer | 8.7 | 11.9 |
| Referred to psychiatrist | 3.5 | 5.1 |
| Removed to observation ward | 68.3 | 65.7 |
| Referred to Justice of the Peace | 19.5 | 17.3 |
| 100.0 | 100.0 |
These percentages indicate a continuing trend towards procedures designed to help
patients without recourse to direct reference to Justices of the Peace.
(c) By age group (1958 percentages in brackets)
| Age group | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 65 | 65 and over | |||||
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| Removed to observation ward | 3,115 | 75.4 (80.7) | 361 | 31.0 | 3,476 | 65.7 (68.3) |
| Brought before a Justice of the Peace | 418 | 10.1 | 500 | 43.0 | 918 | 17.3 (19.5) |
| Other action | 600 | 14.5 | 302 | 26.0 (17.7) | 903* | 17.0 |
| Total investigations where action was taken | 4,133 | 100.0 | 1,163 | 100.0 | 5,297 | 100.0 |
| No action | 1,206 | — | 370 | — | l,583† | — |
| Total investigations | 5,339 | — | 1,533 | — | 6,880 | — |
*Includes one case, age not stated. †Includes seven cases, age not stated.
86