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staff and of the secondment of staff already in post to courses of training for the
Certificate in Social Work.
With the unification of all Social Workers under one roof, it has been possible
to build up a comprehensive supervision structure in which all staff have the
opportunity for consultation with one another and each being under the supervision
of a senior officer.
In a report of this nature it is only possible to give an outline of the organisation
which has been built up, but the foregoing gives basic aspects. Passing
from organisation to operation, the following brief details will give some indication
of the wide range of work covered by the present day Mental Welfare Officer.
Cases of Mentally III Persons referred to the Mental Welfare Service
(see statistical tables — Page 77)
The total number of such cases was 1,078, an increase of 3½% on the 1967
figures. Whereas in previous years the main source of referrals was the General
Practitioner it will be noted that referrals from "other sources" now account for
the major proportion. This is indicative of the widening area of contact as under
this heading are those referred by Health Visitors, Social Welfare Officers, and
other Social Work Agencies, Voluntary bodies, Government Departments i.e. Social
Security, etc.
Of the total cases referred 497 were later admitted to psychiatric hospital,
176 of this number being admitted informally. Admission under Sections 25, 26,
29 and 60 of the Act amounted to 321 compared to 303 in 1967.
The use of emergency powers under Section 29 of the Mental Health Act, 1959,
continues to decrease and now represents 14% of the total cases referred as
compared with 20% in 1967.
During the year 5,196 visits were made to Mentally 111 Persons and 493
visits to Subnormal Persons giving a total of 5,689 visits by Mental Welfare
Officers.
Friern Hospital, New Southgate
Cases from the London Borough of Barnet area are no longer admitted to
Friern Hospital but, by reason of the fact that the hospital is situated within the
Borough boundaries, Mental Welfare Officers are liable to be called in for statutory
duties in relation to patients in that hospital and during the year under review 61 such
cases were dealt with.
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