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MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
The Principal Mental Health Social Worker, Miss E.M. Thomson, reports as follows:-
"The multi-disciplinary team of Mental Health Social Workers, Psychiatrists, Psychologists,
Child Psychotherapists with supporting administrative and clerical staff which makes this section
of the Mental Health Department, moved its headquarters from 99 The Grove, E.15. to 70 West Ham
Lane, in December 1966. The building, which had previously housed the Borough Architect's
Department, was partially converted for our use and further alteration to allow for expansion of
staff and functions was completed in 1968.
The central core of the work still lies within the Statutory Services that must be provided,
and this includes the emergency admission of patients to mental hospitals, the social after-care
following discharge and the child guidance service. The last mentioned has been integrated with
Community Care Services by the joint use of staff and organisation of records. Clinic sessions
continue to be held at the Child Health Centre, West Ham Lane, E.15., and at Katherine Road Clinic,
East Ham. Cases referred represent a wide range of problems calling for an equally wide range of
therapeutic approaches. This involves the professional staff actively seeking consultation with
other" agencies concerned, as well as direct work with families.
The Work
During the period under review, the increased number of patients discharged from hospital
for community care alongside the development of drug therapy which enables other patients to
remain at home, has created a considerable rise in case loads. The Council increased the
establishment of mental health social workers from 18 to 20, and in addition converted one post to
a more senior grade, Assistant Principal Mental Health Social Worker. The services of the
Clinical Psychologist were also obtained and this has made a major contribution to the development
of rehabilitative programmes and policy for people attending the Adult Training Centres. Work has
expanded and contact widened, and whilst every effort is made to maintain those commitments
entered into, the staff work under very great pressure.
The use of the group of professionally qualified case workers who comprise the majority of
Psychiatric Social Workers for statutory work, is an unusual feature of Newham and has done much
to place the emergency admission to hospital in its proper context as one episode in a planned
intervention to help family needs sometimes both before and after hospitalisation and in
conjunction with family doctors and hospital psychiatrists.
Relationships with hospitals
The Mental Health Social Workers now have a good direct relationship with the hospitals.
Goodmayes Hospital has expanded its out-patient facilities, serving the borough through daily
clinics at either St. Mary's Hospital, Plaistow, or Queen Mary's Hospital, Stratford.
Appointment of a Consultant Psychogeriatrician has increased the possibility of domiciliary
visits and facilitated short-term admissions for rehabilitation and treatment of the elderly.
The unsatisfactory circumstances of having to admit East Ham patients to Runwell Hospital,
Wickford, situated some 30 miles to the east of the borough has continued, but it is hoped that
the Regional Hospital Board will have completed its long awaited plan to recast catchment areas,
so that Goodmayes Hospital caters for all Newham admissions, in the ensuing year of 1971• Despite
this problem, efforts are made to maintain good links with Runwell Hospital and the out-patient
clinic at East Ham Memorial Hospital serves as a focal point for local authority and hospital
co-ordination.
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