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General Comment
Table 15 (page 47) shows the number of handicapped persons,
including children, who are "registered" with the department.
Although it is not traditional to include children in this section
of the report, it indicates the way in which the services for the care
of handicapped persons are developing in the new Borough. One
interesting feature is the high number of persons suffering from a
physical handicap. This is undoubtedly one of the great medicalsocial
problems of the future. Details of services available for this
type of handicapped person are described on page 53.
CARE OF HANDICAPPED PERSONS
Mentally Disordered
It is pleasing to report that progress in this service has been
marked, especially on improved liaison with Hospital Service
through:—
(a) frequent policy meetings with consultants and other staff;
(b) attachment of Mental Welfare Officers to Warley
Hospital;
(c) attachment of a Mental Welfare Officer to Out-Patient
Clinics, which resulted in an increase in the number of
requests for after-care.
To facilitate the essential communications with the catchment
area hospitals, Regional Board and other medical agencies the
Mental Health Service has been under the supervision and guidance
of the Deputy Medical Officer of Health, assisted by a Consultant
Psychiatrist who is employed on a sessional basis.
Community Care of the Mentally Disordered
The Mental Health Act, 1959, reflects a growing recognition
of the importance of making medical and social care as fully and
as easily available to the patient suffering from a mental disorder
as is the case with physically ill. The emphasis of the Act is on
informal procedures for hospital admissions and it also underlines
the trend away from institutional care—the latter has become increasingly
evident in other areas of social policy.
MENTALLY ILL
The hospitals serving the Borough are Warley Hospital
and the Ingrebourne Centre at St. George's Hospital.
(a) Links with Warley Hospital
In June, 1965, a meeting was held at Warley Hospital,
when the Medical Superintendent and his staff discussed
with the representatives of the Mental Health services for
the hospital's catchment area (Barking, Essex, Havering
and Redbridge) ways to develop better liaison between the
hospital and the community care services. As a result of
this meeting, Mental Welfare Officers from Havering have
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