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59
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Establishment
Principal Medical Officer
Principal Officer for Social Work (Mental Health and Welfare Services)
Deputy for Mental Health Services
Mental Welfare Officers—9
Mental Health Social Workers—2
Trainee Mental Welfare Officers—2
The development of comprehensive community services for the
mentally disordered continued during 1970. Two establishments—a purpose
built adult training centre and a purpose built day centre, both of which
reached practical completion stage in November, 1969, opened for the
reception of suitable persons in January, 1970. The total number of
mentally disordered patients under care at the end of the year was 1,113
(655 mentally ill and 458 mentally handicapped) and the total number of
referrals from all sources during the year was 1,036. These figures are
increasing each year and are indicative of the importance of ensuring that
sufficient facilities and resources are available in the community so that
the mentally disordered receive all possible care and support to enable
them to lead full, stable and useful lives.
Whilst close collaboration continues to be maintained with Shenley
Psychiatric Hospital, with the opening of Northwick Park Hospital—the
new district hospital for the area—and the appointment of a Consultant
Psychiatrist there, discussions were held during the year as to the ways
of improving liaison and enhancing the community after-care services
provided by this Authority, and as a result early in 1971 the Consultant
Psychiatrist is to be engaged for one session per week for case work
discussion with the social workers in Harrow.
Community Care—Mental Illness
The number of referrals from all sources during 1970 totalled 964.—
See Table IV. The number of patients actually under care at the end of the
year was 655 (276 men and 379 women)—See Table I. Of these 11 (6 men
and 5 women) were addicted to drugs, 2 of whom are registered as being
heroin addicts. 16 (9 men and 7 women) were suffering from alcoholism.
Table III gives details of the number of cases dealt with by the social
workers during the year.
The field work in preventive care and after care of those persons
requiring help in the Borough continues to be carried out by the Principal
Medical Officer, the Principal Officer for Social Work, the Deputy for
Mental Health Services and a team of Social Workers, i.e. Mental Welfare
Officers.