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It would appear from the above table that admissions to hospitals
appears to be biased towards the use of emergency Section 29,
and it should be remembered that some of these figures are concerned,
at a later stage, with those persons who are referred to the
Health and Welfare Department for after-care. The Health and
Welfare Department provided assistance in arrangements of all
admissions in Table 19, mostly to Warley Hospital, a few to Goodmayes,
Runwell and South Ockendon Hospitals.
Since a great majority of admissions to psychiatric hospitals
are within informal procedures, i.e., between the G.P. and the hospital,
it is expected that a future development of the service will
show an increase in the numbers of informal admissions with the
assistance of the Health and Welfare Department as well as an
increased number of after-care referrals following an informal
admission.
MENTAL SUBNORMALITY
The two categories 'subnormality' and 'severe subnormality'
defined in the Mental Health Act 1959, replace the older term of
'mental deficiency' for this type of mental disorder. 'Subnormality'
is defined as a state of arrested or incomplete development
of the mind (not amounting to severe subnormality) which includes
subnormality of intelligence and is of a nature or degree which
requires or is susceptible to medical treatment or other special
care or training of the patient. Severe subnormality means a state
of arrested or incomplete development of the mind, which includes
subnormality of intelligence and is of such a nature or degree that
the patient is incapable of living an independent life, or of guarding
himself against serious exploitation, or will be so incapable when
of an age to do so.
The Council has the duty of ascertaining subnormal persons
in their area and, where necessary, of arranging for their care. Care
nowadays is for the most part arranged in the community, and
in the majority of cases this is adequately provided for in their
own homes, only a small proportion of persons requiring other
residential care. As an alternative to residential care hostels are
provided by the local authority who can also employ foster parents
where advisable.
The local authority has the responsibility of providing aftercare
facilities for mentally disordered patients and statutory supervision.
This necessitates the appointment of social workers to act
as welfare officers under the provisions of the Act, and the provision
of centres or other facilities for training or occupation.
Severity of disability varies considerably in cases of mental
retardation, some being very severely handicapped with little appreciation
of their surroundings, incontinent and unable to do anything
for themselves. Such cases, when living at home, create an inevitably
heavy burden for their families, and residential care is not
always available even for such severely handicapped cases.
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