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61
The nationally known "Stepping Stones" have had a most
successful year and the future may well see a closer involvement
with the club on the part of the community mental health service.
Headquarters of the Mental Health Section
This is based in the Health and Welfare Department at The
Walnuts, Orpington, and consists of Senior Medical Officer, Principal
Mental Welfare Office, Administrative Assistant, with a very
small secretarial and clerical staff.
It is at the headquarters that admissions to subnormality
hospitals (short or long term) are arranged. The long term admissions
are not very numerous and the Borough shares with the rest
of the country the shortage of subnormality beds. A very close and
friendly working relationship was soon established with Leybourne
Grange Hospital which includes the Borough in its catchment area.
The degree of bed shortage at Leybourne Grange Hospital is such
that hardly ever can an indication be given as to when the patient
is likely to be admitted. The Physician Superintendent however is
always most helpful in cases of social emergency, e.g. death or a
serious illness of the parent and gives special consideration to cases
showing severe deterioration.
The number of admissions for short term care (Ministry of
Health Circular 5/52) are given below: —

There has been no increase in the numbers of subnormals
provided with such care, but while the number of severely subnormal
children under 16 has doubled in the last 12 months, the
number of severely subnormal over 16 has increased by one third.
This is in line with the well-known fact that the amount of services
asked for rises with the degree of handicap. The severely subnormal
population now surviving to an increasingly higher age must make
the authorities look towards gearing more and more of their
services towards the very severely handicapped.