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Mental Health
Continuing the policy approved by the health
committee of extending facilities for community
care of the mentally disordered two new
establishments were brought into use during
the year,
The purpose built psychiatric day centre
was an integral part of phase II of the develop
ment of the health centre at Bath Road. There
is provision for 45 mentally ill patients to
attend daily and admission started in July
1970 This is intended as a further step in
helping patients requiring treatment and/or
rehabilitation whilst remaining in the community.
The regional hospital board at present provide
one consultant psychiatrist session and two
registrar sessions a week these sessions
will need to be increased as the centre becomes
full The borough council provides a fully
trained nursing staff backed up by an
occupational therapist and a social worker
Thus a wide range of patients can be provided
for The early results appear to be very
encouraging and are also providing a good
example of close co operation between the
various parts of the National Health Service
Westbrook home designed for the full time
care of twelve mentally handicapped children
started admitting children in December 1970
and at the time of writing is already more than
half full There is no doubt that this type of
facility will reduce the need for hospital
accommodation for such children and provide
a more homely natural and stimulating
environment than a large institution can hope
to do In addition being sited near to the
children s families a closer link is possible
with their own homes and visiting by relatives
is made easier Parents are also encouraged
to take the children home when possible at
weekends and for various holiday periods By
retaining these family ties it is hoped that
when the children have responded to training
and teaching at the junior training school
which they will attend daily and when the
social stress at home which may have
necessitated their admission has abated- some
of the families will be able to accept the
children at home again.
Junior Training Schools
The two schools atlsleworth and Hanworth
ha/e both had successful years Mrs Williams
the head teacher at Hanworth for a number of
years retired in October 1970 She had been
an inspiration to children and staff alike I
am pleased to report on the appointment of a
worthy successor in Mrs Carter who started in
January 1971
During the course of the year both the
borough of Richmond and Surrey county council
withdrew children from Hanworth and this has
enabled the teacher child ratio to be reduced
to near 1:10 the figure recommended by the
Scott Committee report.
The demand for special care unit places
persists and the proportion of children with
severe physical handicaps is increasing;
some of these it is thought should ideally be
catered for by day hospital care! but this is
not at present being provided in the area.
During the latter part of the year preparations
were made for the education department to take
over the admi nistration of these schools.
Meetings were held between departmental
heads and the school staff and were followed
by public meetings at each school. These
measures almost entirely eliminated the
anxieties that might have otherwise arisen
Physiotherapy report by Mrs J Biddle
superintendent physiotherapist,
Isleworth junior training school
The physiotherapist has made regular visits
to the school and has had 16 children on
treatment She has made home visits to
discuss problems with the parents and hospital
visits to promote better handling through
which the children learn the correct patterns
of movement for daily living. Staff from the
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