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Throughout the year, the Home Help Service has provided care for children in their own
homes in the absence of their mother, at the request of the Children's Department.
No. of persons who received home help service
1965 2,373*
1966 2,897
*Corrected figure - the figure 4,371 appeared in 1965 report due to an error in
amalgamating statistics from London County Council and Camden to cover the
full 12 month period.
GOOD NEIGHBOUR SERVICE
During the year there was a very rapid extension of the Good Neighbour Service, particularly
in the Northern area of the Borough where a local area office was opened. In this area the voluntarilysponsored
Old People's Welfare Committee had been very active, and some fears were expressed
that volunteers would be attracted to the Good Neighbour Service, because of the opportunities of
payment. In fact, there was no evidence of this, and the activities of the voluntary agency continued
to flourish.
Whilst most of the people acting as Good Neighbours are in receipt of retirement pensions,
there was a slight increase in younger recruits, employed in helping the disabled and families with
young children.
Some doubt has been expressed about the advisability of paying Good Neighbours for their
services, but I am satisfied that this is the most effective way of guaranteeing continued service,
especially in areas in which lower income groups live, and enables the more active elderly to help
their less healthy contemporaries whilst at the same time, supplementing their own incomes.
No. of
Good Neighbours
No. of persons
receiving service
31.12.65 65 111
31.12.66 174 249
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
INTRODUCTORY
As a local authority Camden is responsible for the implementation in its area of the
Mental Health Act 1959, and has under its care all mentally sub-normal and mentally ill persons
in the Borough who need support.
Progress in the care and rehabilitation field has continued to be limited by the lack of
facilities within the Borough, but headway in this direction is being made and the year has seen
the opening of a second social club and a day centre.
THE MENTALLY ILL
During the year 780 cases were referred, comprising 279 for community care and 501 for
possible admissions to hospitals. The total number referred has increased by 50 per cent. compared
with last year (409 from 1 April 1965-31 December 1965), and indicates an increasing demand for
community care, since the service has become better known in Camden.
With the help of a mental health social worker, 326 patients were admitted to hospital
for observation or treatment. During the nights or at weekends 428 emergency calls were received
by the officer on duty through the night service based at Whittington Hospital.
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