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The extensions scheme at South Ockendon Colony has
received the favourable consideration of the Board of Control
and the Ministry of Health, and the larger portion of the original
scheme has been approved. It is expected therefore that building
will begin in the near future. The scheme as approved provides
facilities for training and care of an additional 340 patients of
various grades, and will comprise three Villa Blocks for
60 adult male patients, one Villa Block for 60 adult
female patients, one Villa Block for 50 male children, and one for
50 female children, together with male and female workshops,
staff workshops, laundry, central kitchen, recreation hall with
offices, nurses' home, medical superintendent's house, and 12
staff cottages. This additional accommodation, with the existing
three Villa Blocks, will provide accommodation for 520
patients in all. Unfortunately, no separate accommodation for
the lowest grade patients, Hospital Block or Administration
Block has yet been approved.
When these buildings are completed it is hoped that sufficient
accommodation for all West Ham and East Ham cases
requiring institutional care will be available.
Licence.
There are 27 West Ham mental defectives on licence from
institutions, of whom 10—6 males and 4 females—are at work
and doing quite well. The others, while not being in regular
employment, are happy and give no cause for anxiety. Of the 11
cases who were granted licence during the year, only 1—a male—
had to be recalled. This was due to his having developed heart
trouble, and he was consequently returned for appropriate treatment.
Supervision.
There are 474 mental defectives under supervision at home in
West Ham. All of these are visited at varying intervals by the
supervising Nurse, and all possible assistance and sympathetic
advice regarding their management and training is given.
Endeavours are made as far as possible to teach those cases
capable of learning, various handicrafts such as knitting and rugmaking.
Unfortunately, however, the Supervising Nurse can
give only a very limited amount of time to this part of her duty
owing to the number of cases which she has to visit. Parents
arc also given hints as to cheap and easy ways of cooking special
meals f°r certain of the children under supervision. It is found
that the visits paid by the Nurse are very much welcomed and
fully appreciated by most parents.
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