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2 patients were referred to the Special Session for marital problems held at Islington Family
Planning Clinic.
Patients were referred to the clinic from many sources but the largest single source of referral
was other patients and from this we gather that the clinic is meeting a real need and offering a
welcome service in the City".
Well-Women's Clinic
The clinic, set up with City Corporation funds in 1958, is now well established at St. Bartholomew's
Hospital.
The following reporthas been received from the hospital on the work of the clinic during 1966:—
649 (582) patients were seen and none of them had a positive smear. There were, however,
a number of abnormalities discovered on clinical examination; 22 patients, for example, had
fibroids and hysterectomy was performed in 5 of these. 5 patients were found to have symptomless
ovarian cysts which were treated surgically. Cervical polyps were treated in 16 and 2 patients
had repair of prolapses.
SECTION 28 - AND MENTAL HEALTH ACT, 1959
The Medical Officer of Health for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets provides mental
health services in the City on an Agency basis.
In all 45 (25) persons were admitted to hospital under the provisions of the Act.
Whenever necessary, Mental Welfare Officers attended Courts at the Mansion House, Old
Bailey and at Guildhall, and assisted with cases for whom a court order for hospital admission is
being sought, and also with cases who are at court, for other purposes when the need for possible
hospital admission under the Act arises. Nine (6) patients have been seen at these courts.
The assistance of a Mental Welfare Officer was sought by the City Police on 8 (3) occasions,
to deal with mentally disordered persons who were found in public places, and a similar case was
dealt with at the request of the British Railway police.
Ten (8) domiciliary and office visits were made at the request of the Medical Officer of
Health, general practitioners and the police, with a view to possi ble compulsory action, or to
assess a patient's mental state.
18 (11) patients in St. Bartholomew's Hospital who are residents of other areas have been
attended, and arrangements made for transfer to hospital more appropriate to their home address.
Visits have been made by the Mental Welfare Officers to the Salvation Army Hostel in Middlesex
Street, with a view to providing community care, and 32 patients were seen. It often happens
that patients referred by hospitals and other agencies cannot be contacted, because they fail to
arrive at the Hostel. Seven of these patients were admitted informally to Hospital, one was seen
at the hostel by a psychiatrist and one went on a recuperative holiday. Three patients attend a
a day centre.
Thirteen patients are in receipt of community care. Regarding community care for the mentally
subnormal 1 (1) young City resident attends a junior training centre, whilst she and another young
person tire visited regularly at home.
At the end of the year 2 (3) patients were being maintained in residential hostels at the
Corporation's expense.
Salvation Army Hostel, 116 Middlesex Street, E.l. — Weekly Clinic.
On one afternoon a week, the funeral Practitioner Surgery at the Salvation Army Hostel was
attended by the Health and Welfare Officer, and Mental Welfare Officer and a volunteer from the
British Red Cross Society (City Branch) to carry out clerical duties. During the year 47 persons
(including one member of the Hostel staff) were seen by Corporation officers, and these patients
made a total of 140 visits during the 43 sessions.
This surgery has been extended from its original intention, which was to facilitate the assessment
of applicants for residential accommodation in a Home. It has developed into an essential
part of the service to hostel residents, many of whom have personality problems which they would
probably not reveal in the more usual clinic surroundings, even if they could or would attend.
This is an entirely new venture in this field, and its further development, will be of the greatest
possible interest to workers in preventive medicine and social rehabilitation.
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