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Wages to trainees have moved up since some new prices were
negotiated with the companies, and a system of holiday payments has
now been introduced.
In the Spring 1970 trainees were taken on a very successful
week's holiday at the Gunton Hall Holiday Camp near Lowestoft.
At the end of the year 25 trainees were on roll and 4,669
attendances had been made during the year.
Shortage of Hospital Facilities for the Mentally HandicappedO
wing to overcrowding and staff shortages at South Ockendon
Hospital the Secretary of State closed the Hospital for admissions
and extreme difficulty was experienced during the year in containing
certain difficult cases in the community.
After fruitless negotiations with the North East Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Board a deputation of Members and Officers
waited upon the Secretary of State who promised to look into the
matter and a scheme was evolved for additional facilities to be
made available at Barking Hospital to relieve pressure on South
Ockendon Hospital.
Louise Graham House
This newly built establishment provided a home for 21 mentally
handicapped persons during the year and also offered short term
care to cover emergency situations in the homes of other cases.
Some difficulty was experienced as the building is in the
Gascoigne Re-development Area and demolitions were going ahead all
around it. Dust, dirt and noise made demands on the patience and
good humour of the staff as well as the extra work in keeping the
premises to a good standard of cleanliness.
Porters Avenue Day Centre
During the year the Day Centre continued its work with the
mentally ill members of the community. This work keeps many of its
members out of hospital, and at the same time gives relief to
families in the community.
In February the Centre's Occupational Therapist commenced
maternity leave and this reduced all attendance to part-time only.
This situation continued for six weeks and regrettably some difficulties
were experienced both by mentally ill members and their
families until the services of a locum occupational therapist were
obtained.
In July optimal attendance figures were seriously exceeded,
and this resulted in a lengthy waiting list. During August the
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