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35
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Administration
This remained unchanged with the Medical Officer of Health in administrative
control and the Deputy and two Departmental Medical Officers
approved for the purposes of the Mental Health Act. Dr. J.D.W. Fisher, Consultant
Psychiatrist, Warlingham Park Hospital, and Dr. B.W. Richards,
Consultant Psychiatrist, St. Lawrence's Hospital, continued as Medical
Director and Clinical Adviser.
The re-opening of the premises at Thornton Heath (The Oaks) as a combined
day hospital/centre allowed all the Consultant Psychiatrists at
Warlingham Park Hospital day hospital facilities. Every patient could thus
be treated either as an in-patient or in the community as was thought appropriate
on clinical grounds. Of the four combined Centres which were operating,
three served populations of about 100,000 persons, and the fourth, a smaller
unit, an outlying housing estate of about 28,000.
A multi-disciplinary co-ordinating committee at officer level from the
hospital and local authority met at quarterly intervals, but personal contacts
and discussions were necessary to meet inevitable problems of the combined
services. This minimum of administrative machinery was possible only because
mutual trust of those involved had been built up over many years of cooperative
efforts. It was not a system capable of precise definition or suitable
for immediate application to other areas. In view of impending changes enforced
by the Social Services Act no attempt was made to rationalize or codify,
but efforts to retain the co-ordinated hospital and community service, despite
new legislation, were initiated. When the statutory background has been established
an administrative framework will need to be erected to lessen the
reliance on personalities.
Voluntary Associations
The experimental scheme sponsored by the National Association for Mental
Health with a grant from the King Edward's Hospital Fund was made a permanent
part of local facilities by the hospital and the Corporation assuming
responsibility. Mr. H. Muller became an officer on the staff of the Hospital
Committee, with the local authority reimbursing 50% of the cost of the scheme.
The most encouraging upsurge in voluntary help by individuals was complemented
by the really close association the Mental Health Service of the
Borough had with all voluntary organisations, particularly the Croydon and
District Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and the Croydon Association
for Mental Health, both of which have grown in strength during the year.
There was also a continuing cordial relationship between the service and the
Mental After Care Association, the Croydon Guild of Social Service and the
Guardianship Society, to the benefit of Croydon patients. Patients continued to
be sponsored for the local Richmond Fellowship hostel for alcoholics, and 4
were in residence at the end of the year.