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The Castle day rehabilitation centre, the first specially built centre, opened in Southwark
early in 1964 with accommodation for 30 persons. Activities are similar to those at
Clifton Lodge and 81 persons have been admitted to the centre during the year. There
were 27 on the register at 31 December.
Admission to the centres are made on the recommendation of the Council's consultants
in mental health and after interview by the supervisor and a mental health social worker.
Persons attending the centres who carry out productive work receive, after an initial
probationary period, a daily payment of three shillings. Travelling expenses are refunded
and meals provided at a charge of two shillings, which is abated in cases of need.
When the Council's ten-year development plan was formulated in 1962, it was proposed
to open two additional day rehabilitation centres during the period 1967 to 1972. Five
further such centres by 1973 were proposed when the first annual revision of the plan
was carried out, so that there would be a centre of this kind within easy reach of persons
living in all parts of London.
Day centres for chronic mentally ill persons—A day centre for 20 chronic mentally
ill persons opened in Shoreditch in 1962, its purpose being to prevent further deterioration
by providing a meeting place for patients for a few hours daily and some occupational
and educational interests to relieve relatives from the care of patients and to provide
an opportunity for them to discuss and receive advice on personal problems and difficulties
from the Council's mental health workers. Some industrial work was carried out and
after an initial probationary period persons taking part received a daily payment of two
shillings.
Further centres of this type have since been opened in Camberwell (40 places), Hackney
(30 places), Bethnal Green (40 places), Lewisham (14 places part-time) and Deptford
(12 places part-time); a number of additional centres in other parts of London are in the
planning stage.
Voluntary centres—Since 1949 the Institute of Social Psychiatry has provided a centre,
the Blackfriars rehabilitation centre, for the rehabilitation of mentally ill persons and the
Council has contributed 90 per cent of the approved cost of attendance of London residents.
As there was only one centre, it was necessary for persons needing to attend on a long
term basis to be treated in association with those who were recoverable, but in 1961 the
Institute opened a second centre, Crossway rehabilitation centre, which was also grant
aided on the same basis by the Council. This centre was adapted to cater for recoverable
mentally ill persons capable of some industrial work and there is special emphasis on
work routine and work tolerance with a view to their eventual rehabilitation in the community.
At the Blackfriars centre, which caters for those who are more withdrawn and
require long term attendance, the emphasis is on group activities and resocialisation in
the group, thus encouraging them to live a fuller life outside the centre. During 1964, 70
persons resident in London were admitted to the two centres and at the end of the year
there were 76 London persons on the registers.
In 1962 the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association opened a day centre for 40 mentally
ill persons in Hackney and a similar centre for 40 persons in Stepney in 1963. The Council
makes a grant of 90 per cent of the approved maintenance costs of the centres.
Grants are also made to the Blackfriars Settlement in respect of the attendance of
mentally ill persons at the Settlement's occupational work centre and to Trinity Church,
Poplar, in respect of a centre in East India Dock Road for older persons who have been
discharged from the day hospital at St. Clements hospital.
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