View report page

MENTAL HEALTH
As a result of the amalgamation of the London Boroughs, 1965 the first
year that the mental health services for this borough were administered and
organised locally, and not dependent upon "long distance" administration. Owing
to the close co-operation of all staff concerned, the "changeover" was made with
a minimum of disturbance to those in need. For the first time, the needs of the
community can be looked at locally. Efforts will be made to meet those needs.
The persons most concerned with the dispensing of the local authority
mental health services to the mentally ill and the mentally subnormal, are the
mental welfare officers. We were fortunate that three of these officers were
previously employed by the Essex County Council, and so continuity of service
was possible. Two further officers were appointed during the year. The
following table gives an idea of the work they cover
Mentally Subnormal
Number in community 319
Number in residential care 9
Number of cases given temporary care 10
Number of E.S.N, school leavers referred 16
Mentally 111
Number in community (i.e. living at home) 96
Number in residential care 6
Number referred from mental hospitals for community care 66
Admissions to Warley Hospital:
Informal 40
Compulsory:
Section 25 15
Section 29 45
Section 26 1
Via Courts 3 =104
Total number of visits to patients outside office hours 130
The function of the mental welfare officers is to see that all mentally*
handicapped persons and their families receive the care and attention that the
local authority, as well as the hospitals, are able to provide. As the mental
hospital for the London Borough of Barking is situated so far away (at Warley),
the mental welfare officers are a very important link with the hospital serving
our community.
Since October 1965 a Social Club for the Mentally 111 has been held once
weekly at the Adult Training Centre during the evening. Forty-nine patients are
on the register, and a variety of social activities take place, including film
shows, play reading, table tennis, billiards, visits to theatre, etc.
We look forward to developing two important projects within the borough
during 1966 - a full-time Day Centre for the Mentally 111, and a furnished
Council flat which will be used for mentally ill ladies. These it is hoped will
be patients needing hospital care only because of the absence of a suitable home
to which they can be discharged.
Adult Training Centre
On 8th March during this year the new Centre for Adult Subnormals was
opened, and 24 persons were put on the register. During the year, the numbers
steadily increased to 30-35 persons.
42