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MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Throughout the year there was again a steady increase in the demand for community
services, particularly in the field of mental illness. It is becoming more apparent with the
advances in modern methods of treatment, that the need for long term hospital care is
decreasing, and it is expected that the numbers of persons needing help will continue to
grow, and this Borough will need to increase facilities to keep abreast of the modern
approach to mental health community care.
The special needs are highlighted in an important report of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Association on "Mental Illness in City and Suburb", which points out that poverty
is not necessarily synonymous with mental illness. The middle-aged women from well
favoured boroughs were not, for the most part, suffering from diseases attributable to
poverty. Social isolation seems to be a factor of equal importance, and areas which
exhibit a style of life which is conducive to this isolation, whether in the affluent suburbs
or in the furnished bedsitter domains, will tend to have larger numbers of people suffering
from either psychiatric illness or its consequences. Also, successful rehabilitation
requires a framework of support from the community itself - stable family life, good
housing, superior educational facilities, plentiful enjoyment opportunities,- etc., - and
when these supports are weak, additional community care via the local authorities is
more urgently needed to compensate for the deficiencies of the environment.
The most pressing priorities in considering plans for future development still
show up in greater needs for services for the adult subnormal and mentally infirm
elderly.
Casework
At the end of the year, the total known caseload of both psychiatric patients and
mentally handicapped was 1,105; 452 psychiatric patients and 563 mentally retarded
patients. Social work with the mentally handicapped under 16 years of age was continued
by the Health Visitor with enormous benefit to families and to the staff themselves.
The general picture which emerges from a study of the statistical details is of a
steadily increasing volume of work undertaken .but not so obvious from mere figures, is
the quality and variety of social work being done by the Mental Welfare Officers. Some
indication of this can be gathered from the fact that, although the number of mentally
ill persons being referred increases, the number of admissions to hospital under the
Mental Health Act, 1959, continues to decrease. Whereas in 1967 50% of cases referred
were admitted to hospital, in 1970 only 30% were admitted. The use of emergency
admissions under Section 29 has now been reduced to 10%% of the total referrals.
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