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PERSONAL HEALTH
Out-patient clinics are held at North Middlesex, Chase Farm, Highlands and
War Memorial Hospitals.
A 24-hour mental health community service is provided throughout the year
by the Council. The Department has established close liaison with the other
social work departments and with the consultants at the local hospitals.
Domiciliary Service
Persons who are, or who have been, suffering from mental disorder are
referred from a number of sources to the Health Department for care and
support in their own homes. The majority of cases are referred by general
medical practitioners. During the year 364 patients were referred for
supportive after-care and the number of home visits to mentally ill patients
totalled 4,769 in addition to 936 office interviews.
It is desirable for a social history to be provided to the psychiatrist by a
mental welfare officer on a patient attending an out-patient clinic for the
first time. During the year sixteen social histories were supplied on request.
In addition, 261 social reports were supplied to psychiatrists at Friern and
Claybury Hospitals on new admissions.
Department of Health and Social Security circular 4/70, received in March,
enclosed a memorandum containing advice from the Standing Mental Health
Advisory Committee on psycho-geriatric assessment in hospitals, which the
Department of Health and Social Security commended to hospital authorities.
The advice emphasised the need to assess elderly patients, wherever possible,
without admission to hospital as in-patients, but stressed the value of
special psycho-geriatric assessment units for those that require admission
for purposes of assessment. The Secretary of State considered that Regional
Hospital Boards should consult with local authorities in the planning and
operation of these units and he proposed to ask Regional Hospital Boards
for progress reports in two years time.
The demand for psycho-geriatric admissions for elderly confused patients
remains high in Enfield; domiciliary support is provided by the consultant
psycho-geriatricians from the local catchment hospitals and social work
support is provided by the Council's mental welfare officers, both before
admission and after discharge.
Hospital Admissions
Every effort is made to arrange for admission of patients to psychiatric
hospitals informally and 73 were so admitted. In addition, 188 were compulsorily
removed to hospital by mental welfare officers under Part IV of
the Mental Health Act 1959. The increase in the proportion of compulsory
admissions to hospital noted in 1969 was maintained during 1970. This
emphasises the need for increased preventive social work support.
Enfield Association
for Mental Health
The inaugural meeting of the Enfield Association for Mental Health took
place at the Enfield Baptist Church on Tuesday evening, 16th June.
His Worship the Mayor presided and the meeting was addressed by Mr.
Christopher Mayhew, M.P., Chairman-Elect of the National Association for
Mental Health.
This local association will undoubtedly have an important role in the
borough for non-statutory interest in the special needs of the mentally sick.
The association already provides a coach service to enable relatives to
visit patients at Claybury Hospital.
Day Rehabilitation
Centres
The day centre organised by the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
continued at premises in Tottenham, in the London Borough of Haringey.
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