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amount of work going through the office is to be dealt with satisfactorily.
A Therapist employed full-time in a clinic can carry approximately
50 open cases. The tables, which follow, show that nine
patients were in touch with the clinic at the end of 1951 and need
to continue attendance in 1952, and, also, that at the end of 1951 a
further 51 patients were on the waiting list; thus it is known that
1952 opens with 60 patients requiring appointments at Bromley. Such
a case load warrants the appointment of a full-time therapist.
It is impossible for a Therapist to investigate and treat all aspects
of any case unless each patient is considered individually. Where
children are concerned, interviews with parents can be as important
as interviews with their children. Whether or not a Therapist does
any group work within the course of treatment, depends upon the
individual therapist; one therapist may arrange group work for some
specific purpose with some patients for a period during the course of
treatment, whereas another therapist may obtain better results by
working individually throughout. Group work may enable larger
numbers to be shown in regard to " patients seen " in any one year,
but the number of patients who have benefited from treatment during
that year will not necessarily be increased. Figures showing the
number of patients who have benefited, are of greater importance than
figures relating to the number of patients seen.
Analysis of work carried out:—
A. Total number of patients 21
Cases closed during 1951 12
Patients attending clinic at end of 1951, and
therefore, carried forward into 1952 9
21
B. Number of patients awaiting appointments at the
end of 1951 and, therefore, carried forward
into 1952 51
72
Discharges during the year: —
(a) Improved so that no abnormality existed or condition
became such that little residual defect remained .. 5
(b) Treatment incomplete owing to parent and patient
being satisfied with the condition or owing to parent
and patient being unwilling to continue further, or
owing to patient leaving district, etc. 2
(c) Delayed speech development associated with severe
mental retardation 1