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MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL WORK
SERVICES
Introductory
The daily supervision of these services is delegated to a Senior
Medical Officer, who is assisted in the mental health aspects by a
Principal Mental Welfare Officer, and in the other social work aspects
by a Senior Social Worker.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
General
The work of the Mental Health Section has steadily increased
since the inception of the Borough. There have been, and still are,
many practical problems which are not within the control of the
Mental Health staff themselves. However, if 1968 has not seen a
remedy to all problems, it has perhaps pointed a way to a more realistic
appraisal of the situation.
The South West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, which
is responsible for all the Catchment Hospitals serving the London
Borough of Merton, is now actively engaged in planning their future
services with a clear relationship to Borough needs, though it may
well be that the needs in the total area, rather than in the Borough,
will eventually decide the projects to be developed in the first instance.
There are plans in hand for the provision of acute beds to be available
to the Borough in Sutton and in conjunction with St. George's
Hospital, Tooting.
Staff
As at 31st December, 1968, the staff position was:—
1 Principal Mental Welfare Officer.
1 Deputy Principal Mental Welfare Officer.
4 Mental Welfare Officers.
1 Mental Health Social Worker.
1 Part-time Mental Health Social Worker.
1 Trainee Mental Welfare Officer.
Dr. R. K. Freudenberg, Physician Superintendent of Netherne
Hospital, continues to act as part-time Consultant Psychiatrist to advise
the Authority on aspects of the Mental Health Services.
In February, Dr. M. D. Susman resigned to take up an important
post in the Home Office Children's Department. His vacancy was
filled by Dr. D. M. O. Lowry, who took up his appointment early in
September, and in the short time he has been associated with the
Mental Health Service he has shown an interest and concern which
will doubtless prove to be of great support to the staff, clients and
colleagues. Later in the same month Miss Tilt, a Psychiatric Social
Worker, resigned her post to take up a new Course at the University
of Essex.
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