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 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The number and variety of short courses and occasional conferences available on mental
health topics were greater than in previous years, many officers being granted paid leave
(and in most cases other financial help) to participate. In addition, several officers attended
evening courses, lectures or seminars in their own time on social work and allied mental
health subjects.
Statistics
Statistical tables dealing with the work of the mental health service during 1963 are set
out below with comparative figures for 1962 in italics.
Table (i)—
| % | % | % | % | % | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric hospital or ward | 603 | 10.9 | 904 | 41.9 | 112 | 9.4 | 2,568 | 28.8 | ||
| Psychiatrist at general ward | 348 | 6.3 | 46 | 2.1 | ||||||
| Non-psychiatric referrals from hospitals | 471 | 8.5 | 84 | 3.9 | ||||||
| Psychiatric out-patient clinic or day hospital | 181 | 3.3 | 139 | 6.5 | 67 | 5.6 | 387 | 4.4 | ||
| Non-psychiatric hospital outpatient | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| General practitioner | 2,274 | 41.0 | 192 | 8.9 | 30 | 2.5 | 2,496 | 28.1 | ||
| Police or court | 580 | 10.5 | 14 | 0.6 | 28 | 2.3 | 622 | 7.0 | ||
| Patient or relative | 329 | 5.9 | 209 | 9.7 | 80 | 6.7 | 618 | 6.9 | ||
| Landlord or neighbour | 173 | 3.1 | — | — | — | — | 173 | 1.9 | ||
| Education officer | 584 | 10.1 | 105 | 4.9 | 585 | 49.1 | 2,028 | 22.9 | ||
| Health visitor | 56 | 2.6 | 47 | 3.9 | ||||||
| National Assistance Board | 44 | 2.1 | — | — | ||||||
| Miscellaneous | 362* | 16.8 | 245 | 20.5 | ||||||
| Total 1963 | 5,543 | 100.0 | 2,155 | 100.0 | 1,194 | 100.0 | 8,892 | 100.0 | ||
The number of patients referred in 1963 was lower than in 1962 but still well above the
1961 level; the decrease was mainly in persons referred with a view to hospital admission,
mentally ill patients referred for community care were only 13 fewer than in the previous
year and subnormal patients decreased by 149.
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