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Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association in Bethnal Green, a unit which has rehabilitated many
patients thought unsuitable for training schemes provided by the Government. The need for
such a Unit in Waltham Forest was quickly recognised.
The Borough Social Services Committee has now approved in principle plans for an
Industrial Unit in Waltham Forest. Much of the initial cost of this project will be met from
charitable sources. Under the Urban Aid Programme, the Home Office has guaranteed 75% of
£1,000 per annum for a period of five years towards the running costs.
This new Unit, which will be situated next to the Day Centre would enable more
patients to prepare for a return to employment and a useful role in the community. We look
forward to reporting next year a success similar to that achieved by the Day Centre.
Number of People attending Day Centre in the 12 months ending December 1970:-
Home address: EI7 - 34
EI0 - 13
Ell - 6
E4 - 8
Other - 15
76 = 6,377 attendances.
Average daily attendance.
Movement of Members:-
10 returned to work
9 able to manage at home
4 transferred to P.R.A. Industrial Unit
3 moved away
2 died
I returned to hospital
47 on register at 31st December, 1970
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SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
Although 1970 can be remembered as a time of improving Child Health it will also be
remembered as a time of long periods of ill health involving one quarter of the entire Waltham
Forest medical staff and resulting in extra work for some of the healthy ones. The return of
one member half-way through the year to part-time work was followed by Dr.Eirwen Harrison
experiencing increasing difficulty in carrying on working, followed by her much regretted
death and temporary closure of the Audiology Unit. Shortly before Christmas another Medical
Officer became acutely and extremely ill and at the time of writing is still very ill. It has
been said that doctors and nurses meet so many germs in their work they do not get the usual
minor illnesses. We appear to have proved this point. Every effort was made to ensure that
the work suffered as little as possible from the shortage of staff and the lack of the usual
continuity.
The Health Department is fortunate in having staff in the Child Health Section
(administrative and professional) who worked in the previous departments for many years and
have continued with newer staff to give a comprehensive service. Some members of staff
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