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OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
The first Occupational Therapist resigned in January, 1956, and the newly appointed
one did not commence duty until April, at which time there were 20 patients on the register.
After visiting the hospitals in the area, meeting the Health Visitors, and some
General Praotitioners from which patients would be referred, the number of patients on the
register soon rose steadily, the majority of which fell into three main categories:
(a) Tuberculous patients discharged from sanatoria
(b) The chronic sick e.g. Multiple sclerosis, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis,
hemiplegics
(c) The mentally sick who had been discharged from hospital.
The service has not been purely diversionai, but has been designed whenever possible
to aid the rehabilitation of the patient. Even when there is little hope of a return to
full normal life, it has been found possible to limit the deterioration of patients suffering
from crippling diseases.
The present organisation of the service is well adapted to the requirements of
domiciliary work, and is meeting a real need, but quite a number of patients would do
better working in a group. The development of group therapy as opportunity offers will
enable greater benefits to be brought to a larger number of patients.
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During her short stay in the Borough, Miss Stevens the first Occupational Therapist
was able to start a weekly class for Chest Clinic patients, which was held in the Health
Visitors1 office, Balaam Street, next door to the Clinic. This class has been maintained,
with a total of attendances as shown by the monthly figures given below:-
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July 4
August 8
September 10
October 35
November 32
December 28
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