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medical evidence to courts in respect of mentally disordered persons, for the submission
of evidence required by Mental Health Tribunals and for obtaining hospital beds for
subnormal and severely subnormal persons was also retained at the centre.
The devolution of responsibilities for the mental health services to Divisional Health
Committees included responsibility for the day-to-day administration of training centres,
including the maintenance of premises, supplies, the arranging of visits, centre functions
and general staff administration. Planning and the formulation of policy, the supervision
of training and general control over admissions, the engagement and allocation
of supervisory staff and the arranging of transport were retained as central responsibilities
under the guidance of a principal medical officer assisted by an organiser of training
centres.
In 1961 the divisional staffing structure was reviewed. It was evident that staff had been
working under extreme pressure and the Health Committee agreed to an increase of
18 additional social worker positions to a total of 95 and to a further review in the light
of 18 months' experience. It was soon evident that the increased establishment was
inadequate to deal with the very considerable increase in the volume of work falling to the
social worker staff and this was confimed by an O. and M. review of the service carried
out in 1963. An increase of 25 per cent. in the volume of work since the Act came into
operation (85 per cent. of which related to mentally ill persons) was revealed and to enable
the staff to continue adequately to perform the Council's statutory functions and to
allow for a further anticipated expansion of service a 35 per cent. increase in social
worker positions was approved. A case load of 40 mentally ill persons or 160 mentally
subnormal persons receiving community care for each social worker was suggested as a
general yardstick. To improve recruitment and give greater stability to the service a
revised grading structure was also agreed. At the end of 1964 a total of 136 mental health
social workers were employed.
The staffing of training centres has followed a formula fixed some years ago, namely,
a supervisor with one assistant supervisor for each group of 15 or part of a group, with
attendants as necessary, subject to the overall ratio of staff (supervisory and attendants)
not exceeding 1:10. A slight strengthening of the supervisory staffing at the larger
centres was subsequently found to be desirable. The number of staff employed in the
training centre service at the end of 1964 was 147, comprising one organiser of training
centres, one industrial manager, 24 supervisors, 84 assistant supervisors, 34 attendants
and three home teachers.
The Council's proposals to the Ministry envisaged an extension of arrangements for
in-service training, both basic and refresher, for social workers in the mental health
services in conjunction with the recognised training bodies where appropriate. The main
object was to broaden the field of interest and activities of the staff in the various aspects
of mental disorder and to keep their knowledge up to date. It was also proposed that there
should be increasing participation by suitable social workers in general and advanced
courses of full-time study.
During 1964, the Council paid the fees of selected officers attending evening courses
on such subjects as abnormal psychology, human relations, marriage guidance, case
work principles and problems of old age. The policy of seconding suitable officers to
full-time courses continued; four officers so seconded completed the Mental Health course
during the year and five commenced the course. Two officers were also seconded to take the
two-year 'Younghusband' course and two the National Institute of Social Work oneyear
course; another six returned from these courses. Arrangements also continued
for officers to attend conferences and residential weekend schools.
While much remains to be done in promoting the further training of social workers
in the mental health services, so as to equip them to apply constructive casework principles
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