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MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
INTRODUCTION
27.1.1 The Borough as local health authority is responsible for the implementation of
the Mental Health Act, 1959, in its area and provides a mental health service to give
care and support as necessary to mentally subnormal and mentally ill persons there.
27.1.2 Progress in the care and rehabilitation fields has grown with the opening in
1967 of a second day centre for the mentally ill and the appointment of Dr. Bernard
Adams as consultant psychiatrist jointly with Friern and University College Hospitals.
In the field of care for the mentally subnormal, progress was shown by the introduction
of a scheme for junior trainees to attend the Council play centres during training centre
holidays and with the opening in 1968 of an industrial training centre at Fitzroy Road,
Primrose Hill, and a hostel for working adults in Hampstead. References to these projects
will be found in the section of this report devoted to Planning. For the mentally ill, a
scheme of boarding-out in private households was introduced early in 1968. Many residential
and some day-time services for patients, however, still have to be provided at
establishments outside the Borough and by local authorities and voluntary organizations.
THE MENTALLY ILL
27.2.1 The Borough's mental health services continue to become better known, and the
amount of care undertaken has necessarily increased. During 1967, 957 persons were
referred to the mental health team, an increase of about 23 per cent, over 1966. Of these,
525 were for community care, an increase of some 89 per cent, on the previous year.
The other 433 referred were for admission into hospital, a decrease of almost 14 per
cent, on 1966. During 1968, 775 persons were referred, 376 for community care and the
other 399 for admission into hospital. The hospitals remain the largest source of
referrals, the number of which rises steadily.
27.2.2 Some 560 mentally ill people were receiving community care at 31st December
1968, the number having doubled since the Borough was set up in 1965. Regular support
and therapy have been given to these patients and their relatives in a variety of ways,
and the mental health social workers have undertaken intensive case-work with about
one-fifth of them. Children leaving schools for the maladjusted are followed up by social
workers; or, if a child is in the Council's care,there is liaison with the child care officer.
The mental health social worker normally takes over when the child reaches 18 years
of age should continuing help be required.
27.2.3 60 patients were admitted to, or continued to be maintained in, a variety of
hostels for mental after-care, and 11 patients were sent by the Council in 1968 (13 in
1967) on recuperative holidays. 33 patients attended day centres outside the borough
in 1967; this figure was reduced to 17 in 1968.
27.2.4 The Council's two day centres, opened in 1966 and 1967 respectively, have
now become firmly established with their individual therapeutic patterns.
27.2.4.1 (a) Lynden Centre
During 1967 there were 57 admissions to and 54 discharges from this
centre; the 1968 figures were 37 and 33 respectively, and at 31st December
1968, 17 remained on the register. As an extension of the group rehabilitation
work at the centre, the patients were given the opportunity to go away together
on a holiday to Norfolk in June 1967. 15 patients went, and the holiday was a
great success in furthering the centre's aims. The holiday was repeated in
the summer of 1968, when 11 patients went and the holiday was again successful.
27.2.4.2 (b) Raydon Centre
Camden's second day centre for mentally ill patients opened on 6th
November 1967 at 43 Raydon Street, N.19, under the supervision of a manager
and four staff. The Raydon Centre is a work and social rehabilitation unit to
take up to 35 patients, catering for those who are not at the moment employable,
and is housed in a small converted factory. The aim is to restore working and
social capacity; and light industrial work, mostly contracted from local firms,
is used to create an atmosphere of purposeful activity. Incentive payments,
which are reviewed regularly, are made to the patients on a sliding scale
according to their attendance, punctuality, effort and output.
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