View report page

PERSONAL HEALTH
Eleven Enfield residents commenced attendance during the year and five
were in attendance at the end of the year, the cost being borne by the
Council. In addition, the Council sponsored the attendance of one Enfield
resident at the Association's Industrial Education Unit at Bethnal Green.
Mention is made later in this report of use by the mentally ill of facilities at
the Council's Edmonton Adult Training Centre.
Social Centres
or Clubs
Mental welfare officers supervise the running of a club which is held every
Monday from 7.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. at the Junior Training School, Waverley
Road, Enfield, with a weekly attendance of between 25 and 50 persons. At
the end of the year arrangements were in hand to open a second club at the
Council's new Health Centre in Edmonton.
Discussion Group
In October, one of the senior mental welfare officers commenced a weekly
discussion group at the Health Office after normal working hours. This
group is for married couples whose emotional or psychological problems are
manifest in the marital relationship. By the end of the year four couples had
attended the discussion group meetings.
Residential
Accommodation
The " Windsmill " Recuperative Hostel has places for 26 persons, men and
women. The residents are normally referred from psychiatric hospitals and
are usually expected to be capable of working. They are encouraged to
resume their places in society with increased confidence. During the year
there were twenty admissions and, in addition, one person was admitted for
a few days in an emergency. Thirteen persons ceased to reside at the
hostel during the year for the following reasons:—eight returned to home
or relatives; three returned to hospital; one was admitted to residential
employment; one was admitted to an Industrial Rehabilitation Unit.
The number of residents at the end of the year was twenty, including six
from other authorities. Fifteen were in gainful employment.
The Department of Health and Social Security conducted a national census
of residential accommodation. The object of the census was to provide an
adequate statistical picture of the problems which local authorities face in
providing residential accommodation for the elderly, the physically handicapped,
and the mentally disordered. Data in respect of "Windsmill"
hostel was duly prepared as at 30th April, 1970, and forwarded to the
Department of Health and Social Security.
Department of Health and Social Security circular 18/69 offered guidance
on the custody and administration of medicines for residents in homes for
the elderly. The Department also reminded local authorities that similar
aspects of safety apply to hostels for the mentally disordered and suggested
that appropriate instructions be issued to staff in charge of such hostels on
the custody of drugs.
The arrangements in this regard were duly reviewed at "Windsmill where
the Warden is the "Designated Officer" for the purposes of control of
medicines other than those retained by individual residents.
In the case of Enfield patients considered to be unsuitable for acceptance
in the Council's own hostel the Council continued to accept financial
responsibility for their care and maintenance in mental after-care hostels
administered by voluntary associations such as the Richmond Fellowship,
the S.O.S. Society, and the Mental After Care Association.
At the end of the year there were eleven patients maintained in voluntary
hostels and one in a private household.
44