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SECTION SI - MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE.
The Mental Health Service continues to be administered by the Health Committee,
the Medical Officer of Health being responsible for the organisation and control of the
service.
Staff.
(a) Medical
The Deputy Medical Officer of Health is responsible for the medical supervision
and direction. This officer and the Chief Assistant School Medical Officer are approved
by the local health authority for the medical examination of mental defectives. The
Deputy Medioal Officer of Health and three local general practitioners are also approved
for the purpose of making recommendations under the Mental Treatment Act.
(b) Lay Staffs.
One Senior Mental Health Officer responsible for the lay administration of the
service; two full-time Mental Health Officers carrying out duties under the Mental
Deficiency and Lunacy and Mental Treatment Acts; one relief Mental Health Officer who
takes a regular turn on the duty rota for emergency calls ouitside office hours; and one
Psychiatrio Social Worker.
The establishment of the Oooupfittion Centre consists of a Supervisor, three
Assistant Supervisors and a Male Handicraft Instructor.
Co-ordination with Regional Hospital Boards and Hospital Management Committees.
The friendly relationship with the Regional Hospital Boards and Hospital Management
Committees and especially with the staffs of Goodmayes Hospital and South Ockendon Hospital
has been maintained. The Council!s Mental Health Officers continued to supervise defectives
on licence and also to visit and report on home circumstances, etc., for hospitals. The
Psychiatric Social Workers employed by the Council and at mental hospitals work in close
co-operation.
Prevention, Care and After-Care in relation to Mental Health.
The number of cases referred to the Psychiatric Social Worker in 1956 was 158. It
is to be noted that the figures reveal a decrease in cases referred for after-care from
mental hospitals, while there is a marked increase in cases referred for preventive work,
especially by School Medioal Officers. A more detailed survey of the preventive work by
the Psychiatric Social Worker will be found under the heading of Pre-oare Servioe.
After-Care Cases.
Though smaller in numbers, many of these cases have been or still are being seen
regularly once weekly over a prolonged period ranging from one to two years.
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