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Old People's Clubs
Financial assistance was given to old people's clubs
where necessary by the Council, all applications being considered
by a panel appointed for this purpose. There are 36
old people's clubs, most of which meet on one or two afternoons
each week, with an average membership of 100. These clubs
are additional to the Day Centres provided by the Council, by
the Hornchurch Old People's Welfare Association and the Romford
War Memorial Club.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
Case Work
Six members of the social work staff undertake duties
under the Mental Health Act, and are thus engaged not only on
social work with patients suffering from mental illness, but
also on statutory duties in connection with admissions to psychiatric
hospitals. This latter duty necessitates one of these
officers being available at all times on a stand-by duty rota.
In addition to social work with patients in their homes,
in hospitals and at hostels, close liaison is maintained with
staff in the hospitals and hostels, and their social workers also
attend regularly various group meetings and clubs held weekly,
in addition to after care sessions and case conferences.
Hospital Admissions
During 1970 the following admissions to psychiatric
hospitals were dealt with, by the six officers mentioned in the
last paragraph:-
Mental Health Act 1959 Section 25 4
Section 26 —
Section 29 112
Section 60 2
Informal Admissions 31
Total 149
Hostel Accommodation
Collier Lodge, a purpose built residential hostel offering
short stav accommodation for the mentally ill, had an average
of 20 patients resident throughout the year. The majority of
those accommodated follow a full-time occupation, and with
64