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79
Closing comments
The stocktaking involved in presentation of the Annual Report
is a most valuable exercise for the Section and the experience of
four years has left us more than ever convinced that the Local
Health Authority's Mental Health Service, exists best as an integral
part of the rest of the Services. It also transcends the artificial
divisions created in the tripartite National Health Service structure
more than any other Local Government Service.
The widely publicised findings of the Committee on Local
Authority and Allied Personal Social Services (Seebohm Report,
July, 1968) have given rise to much discussion. At the time of
writing, no decision either at National or Local Government level
has been arrived at and it would, therefore, be inappropriate to
comment on the Report generally.
The structure of the Service is truly democratic—we look to
our own staff for comments and ideas. These are freely given
either directly or indirectly through increased demand for existing
Services. Often suggestions to develop a new facet of the work are
made. Such democratic structure of the Section which allows among
other forms of communication for regular staff meetings, makes the
work of headquarters exacting and challenging at the same time.
It should be placed on record that the Section is never slow in
taking up a new challenge. With the manpower fully stretched and
financial restrictions very much in evidence, the challenge is not
easy to meet, but enough "job satisfaction" is generated to sustain
us until the next difficulty arises.
Perhaps it is the difficult problems that are really worth-while
solving.