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psychiatric treatment. Space is available at the
hospital for an extra clinic, but at this stage no
psychiatrist is available to staff it. Comparable
figures are not available from the West Middlesex
Hospital, where the Springfield Consultants join
in providing a service for areas in addition to the
Borough of Hounslow, but clinics there are also
full to capacity and a long waiting list results.
The inevitable result of this pressure is that a
number of acute cases who should be treated in
the community are having to be admitted as
inpatients. Follow-up of discharged patients is not
as rapid or intensive as it should be so that despite
valiant efforts by the local authority psychiatric
social services, the re-admission rate is higher
than it need be.
'Care of the increasing load of aged patients
with mental confusion is also a grave problem.
The geriatric wards at Springfield are full to
capacity, and even for the most severe emergencies
a long waiting period is inevitable. The aim is
always to keep an aged person at home as long
as possible, and the new Day Centre for the
Elderly at Heston will help to ease the burden on
relatives. The hospital provides 'holiday beds'
during the summer months where geriatric patients
receive short-term care while their relatives can
have a much needed rest.
'One has regretfully to admit, therefore, that
despite every effort by the existing staff, the
standard of hospital service is not keeping up
with the advances being made by the local
authority in psychiatric care. This is due to lack
of funds to obtain extra psychiatrists and
psychiatric nurses, who are so urgently needed.
'There are some bright notes, however. A new
mixed-sex unit, known as Dahlia Ward, now
accepts all admissions at Springfield. This unit is
pleasant and spacious, and the presence of both
staff and patients of either sex makes the whole
atmosphere far more relaxed and therapeutic.
Rehabilitation of the longer stay patients at the
hospital continues to improve, and every physically
fit person now has a full and active day, with the
rewarding result of general upgrading in all
aspects of behaviour, and an increasing number
of long stay patients either going to outside
employment from the hospital or being discharged
home or to hostels. Perhaps above all, liaison,
co-operation and interchange of information
between hospital and local authority psychiatric
services is excellent, and, within the limits
mentioned, lead to an above-average community
service.'
Future Projects
Plans have been completed for the adaptation of
an existing single storey building for use as a
30 place day centre for elderly confused patients.
It is hoped that this will relieve pressure on
hospital beds for this type of patient and provide
support for elderly patients after treatment in
hospital.
A day centre for recovering mentally ill patients
is included in the plans for mental health service
premises which are to be added to the main
Department of Health in Bath Road, Hounslow.
To try to meet the present need for this kind of
care it is proposed to start this centre in a limited
way at the hostel in Wood Lane, Isleworth
pending the erection of the new building.
It is anticipated that work will commence in
1968 on the building of a 25 place hostel in
Bedfont for recovering mentally disturbed
persons. It is intended to accommodate mentally
ill patients in this hostel and to use that at
24, Wood Lane, Isleworth for subnormal
residents.
There is a need for a sheltered workshop and
the borough is planning for this to be provided
under the Disabled Person (Employment) Act,
1958 as a workshop to employ both mentally
handicapped and physically handicapped persons.
No site is available yet for this project which the
Health and Welfare Departments will run jointly.
Environmental Health
The following is submitted by Mr K J Smith,
FAPHI, MRSH, Chief Public Health Inspector:—
'It is pleasing to report that on the whole the
year 1967 was one of more solid productive work,
seriously hampered during the first five months
by participation in a large scale housing survey
sponsored by the Greater London Council
involving 1,099 inspections but undisturbed by the
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