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18
One evening per week all patients were invited to form a therapeutic group where, in the presence
of two doctors and the Superintendent any problems could be ventilated. This session proved to be a very
rewarding field of work. Topics covered a wide range of subjects and gave residents the opportunity to criticise
and to speak freely of their feelings regarding staff and fellow residents. Undoubtedly, tensions, which arise
almost inevitably when any group of people live together as these do, can be resolved or at least lessened by
such means. It is also very instructive to the professional staff to observe the gradual advance in certain residents
towards accepting responsibility in their small community and to see how group pressure can beneficially
influence anti-social traits in others. The General Practitioner plays a quite complex dual role in the Hostel;
on the one hand he is easily accessible to any individual resident in his nearby surgery. Some make extensive
use of this facility and air any personal problems when obtaining a prescription for their continuous medication.
They are greatly helped by these consultations with a doctor who has taken a special interest in psychiatric
problems. His other function, that of a group leader or participant, poses problems of a different nature and
it is a tribute to his skill that he manages both, so that residents respond in a subtly different way to his
presence at the Hostel.
Frequent meetings between Hostel and non-resident professional staff have contributed to the formulation
of definite procedural routine regarding both patient admission and general management. There is no
doubt that this Hostel has found a firm place in the community and has proved the need for such a service.
The Hostel, 73 Wembley Park Drive
Once more it can be reported that this small, unstaffed hostel has proved its worth. For most of
the year all its six places had been filled. When one resident had to return to Shenley as she had been unable
to stand up to community stresses, her place was taken speedily by another patient. It was with some reservations
that this new patient was admitted as she was over 60 years old, but with an excellent work record
while at Shenley, it was felt worthwhile to admit her on trial. This decision has since been proved right as the
lady immediately obtained a suitable post and all indications are that she will continue to work well for a
long time to come. The patient in question has been a hospital in-patient for approximately 30 years. It is
most encouraging to see such a person responding to full community life and having to plan her own day and
see to her personal affairs. To somebody sheltered by all that a hospital can offer, it must be quite a formidable
task once more to cater and cook for herself and to see to all her other personal needs. Help from the
group is of course of great importance but professional support is needed to prevent unnecessary tension
built-up during the integration period. However, such support need only be on a fairly superficial level. The
weekly visits by the Senior Medical Officer have proved adequate to deal with the various problems arising
within such a group. There has been less and less need for additional visits from a mental health social worker
but the occasional visits from administrative staff have been found to be very valuable.
A significant indication of the recovery of social functioning by two of the residents during their stay
at this Hostel is that during the year they were able separately and alone to fly abroad to stay with relatives
they had not seen for a number of years after having made all the arrangements and attended to all the
formalities without assistance.
Registered Residential Homes (Ealon House, N.W.6)
This Hostel (registered in terms of Section 37, National Assistance Act, 1948, as applied by Section
19, Mental Health Act, 1959) is the only one in the Borough. It is run by the Jewish Welfare Board. Regular
inspections are made by the Senior Medical Officer and the Home continued to provide facilities of a high
standard.
Day Centre for the Mentally III, Belton Hall, Bertie Road, N.W.IO
This occupational therapy centre for the mentally ill, which is now well established, continued to
function in 1968 on the scale it has achieved in the last few years. Although the total number of patients
admitted approximated to that in previous years, there was a decline in the number of those admitted from
adjoining local authority areas because similar facilities have now been provided by their own Councils.
The programme of work and projects has been continued on lines similar to those adopted in the
past, but it was possible to extend the scope of grou p activities, not only in arranging purposeful discussion,
but in work placements such as decorating and gardening. As part of the rehabilitation process, group projects
outside the Centre but with a therapist in charge, aim to re-establish the ability to work and to form meaningful
relationships with the rest of the group. When the patient has achieved this aim among his peers within
the group, his further needs for more realistic work situations have to be met by individual placement bringing
him alone once more into contact with the more usual working environment. Working groups and individual
placements in normal but still not totally exposed situations were found in various Council offices and establishments
and with related voluntary organisations. The aims of the working groups coincide in large measure
with those of the social activities groups in such pursuits as visits to museums and exhibitions, public
swimming baths and tennis courts.
Activities within the Centre included, in addition to those touched on above, light industrial assembly
work (provided by Shenley Hospital Industrial Unit), dressmaking, carpentry, repairs and painting of various
articles, art classes, marmalade and cake making.
The therapeutic discussion group held weekly with a psychiatric social worker presiding continued
throughout the year, as did the regular meetings of staff and patients to discuss management affairs.
As patients became ready for discharge, employment was arranged through the Disablement Resettlement
Officer, who attends the Centre weekly. Where this was not possible, mental health social workers, in the
exercise of their after-care function, included the follow up of employment prospects.
Communications and exchanges were maintained between the Centre, doctors, psychiatric social
workers and mental health social workers, but not without some difficulty as the resources of the Centre in
seeking and imparting information have been stretched.