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22
The Brent Samaritans
The Director, the Rev. Keith Johnson has kindly furnished the following report:—
"The Brent Samaritans have continued to grow, more in the work involved than in the number of
volunteers. We had more than 350 new clients in 1970, an increase of over 100, and if the present trend
continues, we shall have over 600 next year. Of these clients, still too few come into the centre, too many
never are "befriended" or get beyond the initial telephone call. This year there has been an increase in the
seriousness of calls—less people seeking accommodation, etc., more with deep problems. In the light of this,
the befriending we do has assumed a greater importance, and the guidance we get from Dr. Dominian
(Consultant Psychiatrist) and his staff at Central Middlesex Hospital has proved invaluable. We cherish the
outside links we have, including the training of new volunteers done by Officers of the Brent Mental Health
Section. Still we offer only a 12 hour service (7 p.m.—7 a.m.) chiefly due to the shortage of volunteers; our
chief worry. But we hope soon to start an extra 4 hour shift, probably 7—11 a.m. A new branch will
probably soon open in Ealing, therefore we are spreading our publicity and work more in the direction of
Kensington, Paddington, etc. But before we can expand, we must consolidate on the basis of what we do
now; and we can only hope not to need to expand when the sum total of despairing, suicidal and desperate
people diminishes."
Approved Medical Practitioners
One general practitioner was added to the list of those approved for the purposes of Section 28 of
the Mental Health Act. 1959, and 6 who were originally approved for these purposes in 1965 were approved
for a further period of 5 years.
Drug Abuse and Dependency
Expectations of re-opening the "Centre" at Kilburn Square Clinic for the assessment of the
psychiatric and social needs of young people dependent on drugs, have suffered a set-back. It has been
impossible to obtain the services of experienced medical staff in spite of wide advertising. An important
reason for this could well be that few psychiatrists are as yet attracted to the sub-speciality as the work is
most demanding and unfortunately often unrewarding. In addition some full time hospital psychiatrists are
not permitted by their terms of service to undertake outside work.
Nothing has happened in 1970 to indicate that the problem of drug dependency among young
people in the Borough is on the increase, but unfortunately there is no evidence either to support the hope
that it has decreased.
A recent police raid on premises within the Borough resulted in the discovery of a very large amount
of cannabis. This is concrete evidence of the presence of a "drug ring" and that of "pushers" with the inevitable
ultimate risk of an increase of addicts. Disclosures like this serve to warn even the most complacent
among us that the paths our young people tread in their quest for fun and excitement have many dangers
and tragic consequences.
Talks to schools, townswomens guilds and industrial firms in the Borough have continued to educate
the public, on the dangers of drug dependency especially among young people. We are aware of, and accept
the fact that we live in a drug orientated age, and that drugs in one form or another are a life saving necessity
for certain patients. However, we must not stand by and watch a necessity turned into abuse by young
healthy adolescents to such a degree that it disorganises their lives, their homes and in the end the society
they form part of. Drug abuse is the road to disaster and while we cannot as yet abolish it we should make
every effort to contain it. That is what we, engaged in the field of mental health, try to do by informing and
educating wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself.
MENTAL SUBNORMALITY
Community Care—Support in the Home
The introductory remarks to the section of this Report dealing with mental illness from the point
of view of social worker involvement in community care has relevance in the major part to the support of
the mentally handicapped and their families.
Leavesden Hospital
Modernisation is going ahead in this establishment's very old buildings and wards, albeit at a pace
that impatient staff find slower than had been hoped for. A new children's ward was opened during this
summer, the first ward to be built for very many years. It is to be hoped that this will alleviate the pressure
on our long waiting list: severely sub-normal multiple-handicapped children still have to wait a very long time
for a bed. The hospital's policy of accepting a patient only if the local authority will accept back into the
community another case has proved to be quite a problem for the Leavesden nursing staff. High grade, easily
manageable patients, who have been unpaid helpers for the nurses for many years are now leaving the
hospital to be replaced by very severely handicapped patients who are in need of much skilled nursing care.
Fortunately recruitment of nurses has become much easier since conditions in the hospital generally have
improved considerably. A particular success has been an experimental ward of mixed (male and female)
patients, of various degrees of handicap, including some very young children and even babies. The ward has
been subdivided imaginatively so that family units are formed: for example a cot has been placed in a 2-bed
cubicle where two female adults share the responsibility of looking after a baby supervised by a nurse. The
staff are delighted with the experiment and claim that their work has become enjoyable as well as rewarding
at long last.
Patients thrive on this new regime as each individual can contribute, if only partially, to the needs
of others. Particularly the babies and young children appear to benefit from the much increased personal
attention given them by their "foster mothers" .