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Welfare Department
Women's Voluntary Services
Other persons with special knowledge of the
families to be discussed.
What then does this formidable list hope to achieve and how often
are its hopes realised? Basically the goal is to help these families
towards the achievement of standards acceptable to the community at
large, which they would never reach by their own unaided efforts and
by doing so to hold together family units in a greater degree of happiness
and a higher standard of security than they have known in the past for
the benefit of all, particularly the children whose lives and development
are most adversely affected by an unhappy, unstable home. With some
families this end is never attained. They require continuing help and
support and cannot be relied upon to stand on their own feet. With
others, but it must be admitted they are in the minority, permanent
good is done and they are saved from lapsing into chronicity. Even
one such success well repays in human happiness the time and effort
taken and it should be remembered that the benefit is not limited to
within the family circle. The close neighbours of problem families can
feel the repercussions of sub-standard social behaviour on their own
door-steps.
Mental Health
The complexity of modern life is becoming more and more reflected
in the increasing number of cases of mental breakdown in the population.
This is much more evident in large cities and conurbations than in rural
districts where the acceleration in the pace of living is not yet so marked.
In cities, however, it is a matter of considerable worry to all engaged in
medical work, whether preventive or curative. Progress will proceed,
but how can man adapt himself to life in a world so much more
complicated than the one into which he was born ? Some can take it in
their stride - some, with difficulty, can make compensatory adjustment,
but many, in doing so, break down and need help. Help does not mean
only the assistance of physicians, psychiatrists and hospital staffs.
Equally important in returning to every-day life as a normal individual
a case of mental disturbance are supporting services operating in the
community. This is now well realised and such services will have to be
expanded and developed to grapple with a problem which shows no
signs of decreasing with the passage of time and is certainly not selflimiting.
Conclusion
I would like to express my thanks to the Chairman and members of
the Public Health Committee for their help and co-operation throughout
the year and to all members of the staff of the department for their
willing and loyal support at all times.
I am. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yours obediently,
W. D. SWINNEY,
August 1964. Medical Officer of Health.
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