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57
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Administration
The Medical Officer of Health is in charge of the administration
and. he, the deputy and one senior medical officer are approved for the
purpose of the Mental Health Act. Dr.J.S.Bearcroft, consultant psychiatrist
from Long Grove Hospital serves as a co-opted member on the Health and
Welfare Committee and acts as psychiatric adviser to the Local Health
Authority, and assists in the appointment of mental health staff.
Excellent relationships have continued also with the two hospitals that
receive subnormal patients from the borough and I am grateful for the
co-operation and help of Dr. J.M.Crawford, Physician Superintendent of
Botleys Park Hospital, and Dr.B.H.Kirman, consultant psychiatrist of
Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, Carshalton.
Staff
The establishment consists of a principal mental welfare officer,
Mr.E.V.Oram, and seven other mental health social workers, of whom five
were in office at the end of the year. One mental health social worker,
seconded for one year's full time course leading to the National Certificate
in Social Work, returned to the department in August, after successful
completion of the course.
The principal mental welfare officer has continued to supervise
students from the Certificate in Social Work Course at Croydon Technical
College, and a further student was placed for part time practical training
in September.
The volume of work undertaken by the mental health social workers
has continued to expand, the total number of patients referred increasing
from 528 in 1966 to 631 in 1967: but owing to staff changes and absences
during part of the year on secondment and maternity leave, for six of the
twelve months only four social workers in addition to the principal mental
welfare officer were available for duty. This, together with the need
for in-training of newly recruited social workers, placed the staff under
very heavy pressure during 1967.
2,914 domiciliary visits were made during the year and in
addition, mental health sooial workers undertake the psychiatric social
work at outpatient clinics at Kingston Hospital, attend oase conferences
at Long Grove Hospital, and work with groups of patients at the social
centre. All mental health social workers are authorised to act as mental
welfare officers under the Mental Health Act 1959.