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(2) The Richmond Fellowship Hostel
This Hostel is designed for people who need to return to every day life gradually and
caters mostly for discharged hospital patients, over seventy per cent of whom come from Claybury
Hospital (two thirds of the Borough of Waltham Forest being within the Hospital's catchment
area). Of the twenty-eight residents discharged in the course of the year, eighteen have not
needed re-admission to hospital and their average length of stay was less than thirty weeks.
There was the same number of men as women, with an average range of thirty-three with peaks
between eighteen and twenty-five and the middle thirty age group.
Use was made of the industrial unit at Claybury Hospital and the psychiatric rehabilitation
unit in Waltham Forest, but most residents go out to ordinary work.
Although the community Mental Health Services keep in touch with patients in the
hostels and often take part in their after-care on leaving, the existence of the Hostel reduces the
strain on the community services and reduces the necessity for re-admission to psychiatric
hospital.
(3) Psychiatric Rehabilitation Unit
This day centre opened 8th October 1967 with the generous co-operation of the Church
Group at the Baptist Church Hall, Fairlop Road, Leytonstone and has expanded to daily attendance
of twenty with thirty on the register. Reference is similar to the Richmond Fellowship Hostel but
with more patients coming from the mental welfare services. Support is received by a grant from
the local authority and donations from the Waltham Forest Mental Health Association.
The Supervisor has had visits from other boroughs which makes it likely that the movement
will spread.
Rehabilitation is not only though relearning habits of work, but helping people to get on
together and regaining their self confidence, which is necessary before they can take part once
more in ordinary society.
Although three attenders have gone back to ordinary employment, sheltered work situations
are still needed, with emphasis on the industrial and social side, and experience exists in this
through the parent body, the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Centre, Director Mr. John Wilder.
W.R. Little
Adviser in Psychiatry to the
London Borough of Waltham Forest
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