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49
Work Group Placement
The possibility of open employment for groups of severely
disabled persons, whose mental and physical handicaps might be
balanced by suitable selection of individuals, had been considered
for some time, and one opportunity arose to place a
group of 4 in a factory to deal with machine operating and packing.
5 female trainees were involved, and 1 mentally ill and 1
physically handicapped patient were unsuccessful and had to be
withdrawn. Another physically handicapped patient obtained
employment with the firm, and two others remained on extended
trial. Despite the limited success, this procedure of placing a
group initially with an instructor in a factory was thought to
be practicable, and further opportunities will be sought.
A co-ordinated Industrial Work Service
When we were considering some years ago the establishment of
facilities in Croydon for mentally disordered persons, visits to
the Government Industrial Training Centre at Waddon made clear
the advantages of a single service for the mentally and physically
handicapped. These observations were on individuals far less
handicapped than those with whom the local authority are required
to deal, but our experiences have upheld this original conclusion.
With reasonable preparation and selection, severely
disabled persons of all types can benefit by mixing in a work
situation, and so far there has been no evidence to indicate the
need for a fixed ratio between the physically and mentally ill.
We have also confirmed that a few severely subnormal persons can
reach wage-earning standards, and be trained to be proficient in
more than one type of job. The distinction between a Rehabilitation
Unit and a Sheltered Workshop, which must be maintained to
meet definitions imposed by the Ministry of Labour, seemed
difficult to justify when there was a preponderence of mentally
ill patients. This is probably due to the fact that the work
limitations of the physically handicapped can be assessed with
some accuracy, but with psychiatric patients there may be very
considerable variations with exacerbations and remissions of the
mental illness.
Residential Care
(i) Temporary Care
Continued use has been made during the year of the Mental
After Care Association Hostel in Croydon to provide temporary
care for patients recovering from mental illness.
Short term care in hospital has been arranged for 32 subnormal
patients during the year and 3 patients have had convalescent
holidays arranged for them.