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The Psychiatric Club run under the auspices of the Council continued its valuable
work, meeting once weekly in Maryland School. In the absence of a Psychiatric Social Worker
the supervision and organisation of its activities was undertaken by the Senior Duly Authorised
Officer with the help of the other Duly Authorised Officers. This lack of its recognised
leader inevitably meant that the membership remained small, although it has to be appreciated
that such clubs must be of a limited size in order that all those attending can take a full
part. The prospects of social rehabilitation depend largely upon the opportunities to join
freely in the various activities held in such a friendly and informal atmosphere, to form
new friendships, and to discuss their problems with the social workers on the spot.
The Committee of the Club, supervised by the officers but elected by their own
members, planned and carried out a full programme of various activities during the year.
(ii) Short-Term Care of the Mentally Defective. During the year arrangements were
made for ^ mentally defective persons to receive temporary accommodation and care as a
result of urgent medico-social circumstances. Details of these are given on page 76
(ill) Convalescence from Mental Illness . One patient, a woman of 57 years, who had
recently been discharged from a mental hospital and was attending the Psychiatric Out-patient
Clinic had a period of convalescence under the Council's recuperative holiday scheme.
(b) Lunacy and Mental Treatment Acts, 1890 - 1930.
Work undertaken by the Duly Authorised Officers.
The arrangements for the obtaining of the services of the Duly Authorised Officers
remained unchanged during the year. A twenty-four hour rota system was in operation and calls
for their services after office hours continued to be made through Ambulance Control.
During the year, the Duly Authorised Officers carried out the following woTk and visits
in connection with the above Actss-
1. Calls received in connection with mental illness numbered 271 and were froms-
(a) General Practitioners 139
(b) (i) Goodmayes Mental Hospital +6
(ii) General Hospitals 33
(c) Other Agencies (police, relatives, etc.) 53
271
The total number of visits made to these cases was 549.
2. Disposal of cases.
Two-hundred-and-eight were admitted to hospital:-
M. F_. Total
(a) As voluntary patients 43 73 116
(b) As temporary patients 7 5 12
(c) Under Urgency Orders 12 24 36
(d) Under Summary Reception Orders 4 17 21
(e) For observation 13 10 23
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