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DIVISION 4, comprising the boroughs of Hackney, Shoreditch and Stoke Newington.
Dr. S. King reports:
Maternity and child welfare—The number of births occurring in the division continues
to increase; 6,000 compared with 5,929 in 1962 and 5,708 in 1961. Two doctors held infant
welfare sessions in their surgeries with the health visitors in attendance.
Eleven general practitioner obstetricians had the free use of ante.natal clinic facilities
at six welfare centres to see their booked maternity patients in co.operation with district
domiciliary midwives, thus enabling the expectant mother to see her doctor and the midwife
with whom she is booked at one and the same visit. It is hoped to extend these arrangements
in 1964.
Day nurseries—The demand for day nursery places continued and there were waiting
lists for long periods especially for children under two years.
Prevention of break.up of families—The divisional co.ordinating committee met regularly
during the year and 80 individual families were discussed at intermediate case conferences.
As in previous years, many cases were referred from the housing department, no less than
35 being in arrears of rent sufficiently high to put them in danger of eviction. The difficulties
involved in unravelling and straightening tangled financial situations gave the most trouble.
The combined casework unit set up for an experimental period of five years with the
support of the City Parochial Charities, now renamed the Family Centre of Hackney and
Stoke Newington, is providing a casework service for families outside the terms of reference
of the co.ordinating committee.
Child guidance units—Two units functioned in the division. The one at Woodberry
Down health centre, established for over ten years, continued to be very busy. The second
unit was opened during 1962 at Hoxton treatment centre and the work here rapidly
expanded. In addition to the medical director who held four sessions weekly, there were
the equivalent of two whole.time psychiatric social workers, a full.time educational
psychologist and a part.time child psychotherapist.
Mental health—The expansion of this service continued during the year.
Clifton Lodge day rehabilitation centre cared for patients discharged from psychiatric
hospitals and provided sheltered environment while they were adjusting themselves to the
community; occupations included light industrial work, carpentry, embroidery and repair
of nursery toys. The evening social club proved very popular. Shoreditch day centre for
long term mentally ill patients used simple light industrial processes, visits to places of
interest in London and the evening social club for rehabilitation purposes. A music group
which formed a concert party; an art group which produced a series of murals; and intensive
case work, both at the centres and with the patients' families, supplemented the day time
activities at these establishments.
The home visiting of patients unable to attend day centres, an evening club at Woodberry
Down health centre for former patients and those about to be discharged from hospital,
a girl guide group for mentally handicapped girls, weekly visits by divisional mental health
social workers to meet patients about to be discharged from Long Grove psychiatric
hospital; all these played their part in the community care services of the division, reduced
considerably the number of emergency referrals for admission to hospital and had a marked
effect on the readmission rate.
Loan of home nursing equipment—This scheme continues to be in demand and items on
loan include special beds for heart cases, Dunlopillo mattresses, hoists, commodes and
outdoor and indoor wheel.chairs.
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