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39
Admissions under the Mental Health Act 1959
In 1965 there was a alight increase in the statutory work of the
Mental Welfare Officers, and this was attributed to the larger population
of the London Borough and the inclusion of Netherne and Cane Hill
Hospitals within its boundaries. When these factors were eliminated there
was seen to be a slight fall in the work, in fact a continuation of tne
trend seen over the past six years.
In 1966 this trend seems to have been reversed since the number of
cases dealt with by Mental Welfare Officers in the year rose from 433 to
500, a rise of over 15%. This increase seems to reflect a slight increase
in the proportion of total admissions where the Mental Welfare Officers
have been involved and where statutory procedures have been adopted,
since it compares with an increase of total admissions to Warlingham
Park Hospital of only 4%. It cannot be attributed as last year to the new
factors arising from the London Borough, since the number of cases
admitted by Croydon officers to Netherne and Cane Hill Hospitals shows
a slight fall from 118 to 99.

*Figures for informal admissions only refer to those cases where the
Mental Welfare Officer was involved i.e. only about 12% of voluntary
admissions.
In Netherne and Cane Hill Hospitals Mental Welfare Officers were concerned
with 47 Section 25 procedures and 52 Section 26 procedures.