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Patients receiving Community Care
At the end of the year 111 males and 230 female patients were
being provided with community care by the Authority. This shows an
increase of 18 males and a decrease of 22 females compared with 1968.
Guardianship
There are no cases under guardianship in the Borough.
Cases Accomodated away from Home
The Authority, at the end of the year, was making financial
provision for the accommodation of 26 patients. A particularly close
liaison is maintained with the two Cheshire Foundation Homes in the
district, and in addition to giving supervision to the Merton cases in
residence there, the Authority has, when requested to do so, undertaken
supervision of patients from other Authorities accommodated
there.
SOCIAL WORK SECTION
Staff
At the end of the year the staff position was:—
1 Senior Social Worker.
2 Whole-time Social Workers.
3 Part-time Social Workers.
One Social Worker left to commence a course at the London School
of Economics, and a full-time Social Worker was appointed in her
place.
During this year families have been referred to this Section from
the Medical Officer of Health, Health Visitors, Medical Social Workers
in hospitals and other Departments. It is interesting to note that
47 persons came to the Social Welfare Section to ask for help and
advice on personal problems. During the year 1968 the comparable
figure was 20.
The Social Welfare Section continues to provide a social service
for families with problems, families with inadequate or unsatisfactory
housing conditions, and families who are inadequate within their own
environment.
The work continues with the Chest Clinic at Cumberland Hospital,
particularly with regard to patients who are discharged into the
community and need home visits and special care within their own
homes. Social Workers approach the Care Committee for help in
cases of need, and this is a great comfort to the patients, many of
whom live on very limited incomes.
The Social Welfare Section also investigates lapsed mortgage
repayments, where there is a threat of eviction, to try to help the
families to get into a regular pattern of payments to ensure that they
do not lose their homes. These are cases referred by the Local
Authority and Greater London Council. Social Workers are also
supervising six families who have mortgage arrears to private Building
Societies.
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