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4 residents were re-admitted to hospital 2
of which subsequently returned to the hostel.
Our own borough council was responsible
for 16 residents Surrev county council 1 Ealing
2 and Haringey 1.
1970 was the first full year of the hostel s
existence at its new site continued interest
has been shown by the churches voluntary
workers and local inhabitants. In Mav 1970 a
public meeting was held at Feltham council
chambers entitled community care and concern
in Bedfont Hanworth and Feltham,
Following this meeting a small studv/ project
group met at The Orchard and many ideas of
this studv group have been implemented to the
benefit of this hostel, A flourishing weekly
social evening was started and this proved to
be a valuable link with ex-residents also
allowing the local social services to introduce
local residents in need of socialisation, in
line with current thoughts and ideas on the
problem of institutionalization the length of
stay at the hostel should be 9 months or less,
A period of over 12 months could be regarded
as making a resident a chronic
Two ex residents were married in September
the reception at a nearbv hotel was enjoyed
by residents and staff, Dr Herridge and Dr
Clarke continued to attend weeklv^iving
valuable support to the staff and attending to
the psychiatric and medical needs of the
residents as necessary,
Supportive help was given bv officers of
the health department,
Some difficulty was experienced in obtaining
residential staff. One of the main difficulties
is that staff have to live in the main building
with the resulting lack of privacy, noise and
the feeling of never oeing off duty, Considera
tion should be given to accommodation which
is detached from the main building. It is
thought that this would lead to better staffing.,
people would stav in post longer and a more
efficient service would result,
Mental Health Social Work
During the course of the year Mr W N Carev
the chief mental health social worker resigned
and Mr P D Charles is proving a very capable
successor, Mr F Vallerelli and Mr David Mason
both obtained the national certificate in social
work and have returned to duty,, Mr Jikiemi and
Mrs Cohen were both seconded to course to
obtain certificates. One additional worker was
added to the establishment,
Meetings were arranged by the newly appointed
hospital advisory committee concerning the
various liaisons between hospital and local
authorities and the department gave evidence
at Springfield hospital where a plea was made
for acute psychiatric beds to be made available
within the borough possibly at West Middlesex
hospital so that a local and closely integrated
service could be established between this
suggested unit and the various mental health
facilities in the borough
Evidence was also given at Normansfield
hospital where it was suggested that Normans
field should be made the catchment subnormality
hospital for this borough as it is in close proximity
and would enable easy visiting by relatives
and a much closer integration than is possible
with Leavesden which is 25 miles away
Report by Chief Mental Health Social Worker,
During the year new ventures have been started
some consolidation of old practices has continued
and the overall picture is yet another vear of
considerable progress in the borough s services
for the mentally ill,.
In February 1970 it was agreed to allocate
in Springfield hospital a 43 bed unit named
Dahlia Ward specifically for Hounslow residents,
This unit has successfully coped with all the
patients resident in that part of the hospital
catchment area within the borough of Hounslow
except for psvchogeriatric cases.
Other benefits have accrued from this
experiment It has made possible a much closer
working relationship between local health
authority and hospital staff,, Each is now better
able to appreciate problems arising in the other s
sphere of the work. The fact that patients come
from the same area means that they are more
likely to have interests in common and this in
turn tends to create a warmer and more intimate
atmosphere in the ward. It also encourages a
sound relationship between the patients and
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