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The register of this class of property will facilitate re-inspections and enable any
further deterioration in their standard to be noted.
Clean Air - The phased programme of Smoke Control continues to make satisfactory
progress with the making of two more Smoke Control Orders during the year. This brings the
total number of Orders to 23 comprising 59,198 premises and covering 6,567 acres - about
65% of the borough.
Other measures taken to mitigate air pollution included approval of new factory
furnaces and chimney heights, inspection of existing boiler installations and discussions with
engineering and managerial staff.
The Department continues to co-operate with the Ministry of Technology in a national
survey of air pollution; concentrations of smoke and sulphur dioxide are measured by apparatus
installed at three selective sites.
Clean Air legislation and more especially the powers enabling local authorities to
establish smoke control areas is achieving spectacular results. Outside London smoke had
decreased by 25% since 1958/59 and in London concentrations have been reduced by 66%
since 1956.
Mental Health
Social Workers
The Mental Health Service has developed considerably during the last year. Many
more after care referrals have been received, social workers have been under additional stress,
carrying out responsibilities for 15 to 30 families suffering from psychiatric illness, together
with subnormal lists of 80 plus and there is always much informal interchange concerned with
planning and evaluating the work with families. More formal assessment takes place in
individual supervision sessions or in group casework discussions.
The Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association has been a great help in the after care of
patients discharged from hospitals. New premises have been opened and we are expecting to
accommodate many more patients and rehabilitate them back to a normal way of life. This
has been one of our greatest assets in 1968.
Also in 1968, with the help of Drs. Lynch and McGibben, we have started a subnormal
assessment clinic at the Mental Health Department. This has been a great success and many
more admissions have been secured, resulting from this clinic. Also the parents now feel
more supported and know they can see a Consultant and have their children diagnosed early.
Two Psychiatric and one Subnormal Clinic are now held at the Mental Health Department.
We are continually supported by the local Society for Mentally Handicapped
Children, who run special care unit groups under the direction of Mrs.Sowerby. When asked
this Association never fails to give assistance to enable this department to overcome its
many problems. The Social Responsibility Centre is also foremost in their endeavours to
assist us in our after care difficulties. Both of these agencies are first class.
The staff continue to give excellent support to the Training Centres with whom we
have excellent liaison. Dr.Denham of St.Clement's Hospital has given this department
valuable assistance with the few, but rapidly increasing, drug cases.
Social Welfare
Officers
Problem and Homeless Families - This subject is expanded below under Health
Visiting as it is very much a team effort, but it should be noted here how very much work
Social Welfare Officers are involved in in emergencies and in the rehabilitation of those who
come into our Homeless Families Hostels. The hardest work of all is in the category whcih
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