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59
The number of patients discharged from the centre during the year
was 50 (23 men and 27 women). Of these 14 were admitted to mental
hospitals, 8 to general hospitals, 2 to welfare homes, 8 improved or left
the district and 11 refused to continue to attend. During the same period
7 patients (4 men and 3 women) died.
Of the number of patients accepted 9 were admitted from the London
Boroughs of Brent and Barnet.
At the end of the year there were 6 patients (3 men and 3 women)
awaiting admission, 4 of these being from other Boroughs.
A total of 165 visitors were shown over the centre during the year.
Day Centre for the Younger Mentally III. Patients residing within
the Borough for whom recommendations were received that they should
attend such a centre continued to be referred to the one run by the London
Borough of Brent in Willesden and during the year 3 patients (1 man and
2 women) were so referred. The number of patients from Harrow in
attendance there at the end of the year was 1. In addition, one patient
resident in a welfare home in Surrey attended that Authority's centre at
Epsom and was still in attendance there at the end of the year.
Building work commenced early in 1969 on the erection of this
Authority's own 30-place purpose built centre and this subsequently
reached practical completion stage in November, 1969, and arrangements
were in hand at the end of the year for the first patients to be admitted
there early in January, 1970.
The centre will be open each week Monday to Friday, inclusive,
9.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. with the exception of bank holidays and will cater for
the needs of two main groups of mentally ill patients:
(a) On discharge from long stay in hospital.
(b) Unemployed persons at home.
It is envisaged that the centre will be the first stage towards rehabilitation
and re-socialisation, and its aim will be to encourage patients
towards a full community life by providing a work situation for them.
Group activities will be arranged to foster movement and communication,
e.g. art classes, drama and mime classes and group therapy.
The work at the centre will be of an occupational therapy nature. A
kitchen is included in the layout for therapeutic purposes, e.g. preparation
of simple snacks, jam making and also as a help in rehabilitating patients
in household management. Close liaison will be maintained between this
department and the local catchment psychiatric hospital and it is anticipated
that the majority of referrals will come either from the hospital
or general practitioners.