View report page

Occupation and instruction in the home—In 1961 an experiment was carried out in
two health divisions, where the part-time services of occupational therapists previously
employed on work with tuberculous patients were given to the home teaching and occupation
of mentally ill persons. The experiment was welcomed by hospital doctors and general
practitioners and has since been extended to other health divisions. By the end of 1964
the employment of occupational therapists for a total of 78 sessions a week had been
authorised for this work. Simple industrial work is carried out by some home-bound
persons and payments on the same basis as at day centres for chronic mentally ill persons
are made to them.
Social clubs—Since 1948 the Council has contributed 90 per cent of the approved
cost of attendance of London residents at the psycho-therapeutic social clubs run by the
Institute of Social Psychiatry, which include a drama group and a youth club. The clubs
meet on one evening a week under the guidance of a psychiatrist and a social therapist.
In addition, the Council gives financial assistance towards the cost of clubs run by
psychiatric hospitals for persons living in their catchment areas and psychiatric departments
of general hospitals, to a club run by the psychiatric department of one of the
London teaching hospitals (which has an average attendance of 50) and to other voluntary
organisations. St. Olave's psychiatric day hospital, which is run in association with the
Council's mental health staff, has its own associated social club.
The Council runs its own social clubs in Hackney (Clifton Lodge and Hindle House
day centres), Shoreditch (Shoreditch day centre), Putney (Putney health centre), Stoke
Newington (Woodberry Down health centre), Islington, Fulham, Lewisham, Poplar and
Wandsworth. These clubs are well attended and consideration was being given at the end of
the year to the establishment of further clubs of this kind in other parts of London. The
present clubs cater for a maximum of 400 persons weekly.
In 1964 the Council agreed to make a grant to the Central After-Care Association
towards the cost of establishing the Circle Trust Club, a club for discharged prisoners
who suffer from some form of mental disorder and to the Blackfriars Settlement in respect
of a social club for mentally disordered persons.
Psychiatric day hospitals—The Council co-operated with the South East Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board and the Bermondsey and Southwark and Cane Hill Hospital
Management Committees in the establishment in 1960 of a psychiatric day hospital at
St. Olave's hospital, Bermondsey. The Council assumed responsibility for the provision
of occupational therapy for those patients attending the day hospital who would benefit
from it; this entailed the appointment of an occupational therapist and the provision
of equipment and materials. In addition, the Council meets the cost of providing recreational
activities for the patients, such as tennis and ballroom dancing, which are considered
to be of a therapeutic nature. In view of a marked increase in the number of persons
attending the day hospital a second occupational therapist was authorised in 1964. A
social worker who attends the day hospital is also a member of the Council's staff.
Experience of the working of the day hospital has been very encouraging; it has been
possible to treat a wide range of physical illness and patients who have been able to travel
daily from home and a number of persons who would otherwise have needed in-patient
treatment have been catered for satisfactorily as day patients.
Since 1962 the Council has co-operated with the hospital services in the provision
of occupational therapy and social worker services at further day hospitals set up by
Bexley Hospital Management Committee, at Castlewood hospital, Woolwich; by the
Paddington Group Hospital Management Committee in Torquay House, Harrow Road,
W.9, and by Westminster hospital, Vincent Square, S.W.I. Co-operation on a similar
basis in respect of a fifth day hospital at the West Park and St. George's day hospital
106