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38
The statistics given in the Appendix are those now required by the
Ministry of Health. Compared with last year the number of expectant
and nursing mothers and pre-school children examined rose from 532 to
1,025, and the number of courses of treatment completed from 275 to 453.
The amount of treatment given has shown a comparable increase.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Administration
The Medical Officer of Health is in administrative control, and the
Deputy and two Assistant Medical Officers of Health are approved for
the purpose of the Mental Health Act. Dr. J.D.W. Fisher consultant
psychiatrist at Warlingham Park Hospital is Psychiatric Adviser to the
Local Health Authority and the Medical Director of their Community
Mental Health Services. Dr. B.W. Richards, Consultant Psychiatrist at
St. Lawrwnce's Hospital continues as adviser in Mental Subnormality to
the Local Health Authority.
My thanks are again due to medical colleagues both in hospitals and
general practice for their help and cooperation without which the continuing
successful operation and development of the Mental Health
Services would not be possible.
Voluntary Associations
The guardianship Society looked after 10 severely subnormal patients
on behalf of the Local Health Authority (9 under guardianship and 1
placed informally).
The Mental After Care Association both through its temporary stay
Hostel in Croydon and through its long stay homes elsewhere continued
to give invaluable help to Croydon patients of whom there were 38 in the
care of the Association at the end of the year.
The Mental Health Service continued to have close friendly ties
with the Croydon and District Society for Mentally Handicapped Children
and it is hoped that these will now extend equally to include the Purley
and District Society. The Croydon Society continued to provide social
club activities for severely handicapped patients.
The interest and help afforded by the Croydon Guild of Social
Service has again been greatly appreciated, and it is hoped that useful
links can now also be established with the Guild's work in the Purley
and Coulsdon area.
Thanks are due to all the voluntary organisations and individuals
whose assistance in one way and another has been so much appreciated
and readily given.