London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kingston upon Thames 1969

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]

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62
referrals to the department by general practitioners and consultant
psychiatrists, who, being aware of the situation, referred in the main
only cases of an urgent nature, hence fewer domiciliary visits were
made.
However by November a new Principal Mental Welfare Officer
had been appointed and five mental health social workers were in post,
including one seconded to a two-year social work training course, and
in 1970 it is expected that a comprehensive service can once more be
offered.
Hostel Accommodation

During the year financial responsibility was accepted by the authority for five mentally ill patients placed in hostels:

Mental Aftercare Association3
National Society for Epileptics1

Blagdon Road Day Centre
The function of this Day Centre is the social rehabilitation
of the mentally ill. The term 'social rehabilitation' covers the
complete spectrum of relationships and roles a person has to develop
if total reassimilation into the community is to be achieved, from the
establishment of relationships within the family group to the successful
placement into employment. A percentage of those attending the centre
will cover the above spectrum completely, the remainder will only be
able to achieve a proportion of it.
The aim is to enable each and every patient to recognise and
develop their full potential.
The centre is seen as a bridge between the hospital and the
community, enabling patients to establish relationships in a sheltered
environment away from the day to day pressures of the outside world.
It offers the opportunity to re-establish a role in a limited social
system together with creating a feeling of worth, vital for those
having experienced a mental illness.
In September light assembly work was made available to the
members of the centre, thus offering a similated work situation for