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local health authority include responsibility for the initial care and conveyance
to hospital of patients who need to be dealt with under the Mental
Health Act, and for the ascertainment and community care of mental
defectives. The Health Committee of the County Council is responsible
for the mental health functions of the Authority.
Harrow is part of the central division of the County which is served by
Shenley Hospital. The Mental Welfare Officer, Mr. W. J. Pedel, and
other officers, work at Balnacraig Avenue, Neasden, N.W.10 (Dollis Hill
7722). Attached to this office are two psychiatric social workers who
advise and help people suffering from mental illness aggravated by social
conditions. The services of a Mental Welfare Officer needed out of office
hours can be obtained by telephoning County Fire Control (Wembley 1121)
asking for County Control who will arrange for the message to be passed
on to the Mental Welfare Officer who is on call.
A consulting clinic is attended on the mornings of the fourth Wednesday
in each month at the clinic, Elmwood Avenue, Kenton, by Dr. Bennett
or by Dr. Fidler of the Mental Health Section of the Health Service of the
County Council. This is particularly useful for helping parents who have
only just learnt that their baby is mentally abnormal in some way.
Children who are mentally retarded but are nevertheless educable
are admitted to the Shaftesbury School for the eductionally subnormal.
Those more retarded and who are considered ineducable might be helped
by attending the Special Training School at Rayners Lane, at which in
the earlier stages emphasis is placed on habit training in order to teach
the children to become socially adapted.
The Harrow Society for Mentally Handicapped Children which is
affiliated to the National Society, works to promote the better appreciation
and the welfare of all mentally handicapped children in the district.
Persons in Need of Care and Attention.
The powers of the County Council to provide welfare services are
set out in Section 29 of the National Assistance Act which reads:— "The
local authority shall have power to make arrangements for promoting
the welfare of persons to whom this Section applies, namely, persons who
are blind, deaf or dumb, or other persons who are substantially and permanently
handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or such
other disabilities as may be prescribed by the Minister."
The County Council in the administration of the service for the blind
and the partially sighted have continued to draw on the help of the
voluntary associations who provided these services before 1948.
In regard to the schemes for the handicapped persons other than the
blind and the partially sighted, the first step is for the handicapped person