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8
of topical interest. However, a most important link in the combined department
is not the Medical Officer of Health at all, but a single general administrative
section (that deals with establishment matters, finance and supplies, maintenance
of buildings, development projects and publications and acts as a
co-ordinating section in these matters) for the separate divisions of Welfare,
Personal Health (including Mental Health), School Health and Environmental
Health. This scheme allows for the development of management expertise.
Without doubt it has had a somewhat stormy youth as in the past Welfare,
School, Personal and Environmental Health dealt with their administrative
problems separately and many folk would have liked that to continue. No one
would disagree however that it is more economical in money and space.
A further integration is that the administration of Welfare and Mental
Health, the two sections most involved with social work, is combined, (at the
moment only in the sectional head, his staff are still attached to the one or
the other). I think there can be little doubt that some such arrangements will
be involved in the Seebohm recommendations. Another important link is that
the Principal Medical Officer in Charge of the Mental Health Section is also
adviser on the medical aspects of Welfare.
It is not in my view at the moment a perfect set-up, and some changes are
envisaged. For instance the Home Help Service, Chiropody, Recuperative Holidays
and Provision of Sick Room equipment are in the Personal Health Services
section by virtue of their authorisation by the National Health Service Act,
whereas functionally they are more closely allied to the Welfare Services,
although the latter functions under the National Assistance Act. In a combined
department such a "swop" can be done with little trouble, committee consent
being only required for any revised gradings of staff concerned.
Other Departments
Much of the social work of the local authority is, of course, within the
province of other departments, mainly Childrens, but also Education and Housing.
In Redbridge the Chief Welfare Officer, Childrens Officer, Chief Education
Officer, Housing Manager and Medical Officer of Health meet regularly with the
first deputy Town Clerk in the Chair to discuss matters of mutual concern to
the Social Services. Two or more of these officers, according to the problems
involved, meet separately to discuss topics requiring any such specialised
treatment. Case conferences, at the request of a social worker, can be organised
by the Health and Welfare Department, in its Conference room. Membership of
such case conferences varies of course according to the problem of the client.
Case Work Register
For too many years to enumerate I recollect complaints from newcomers to
medico-social activities, of the many visitors involved with each client. The
modern social worker is apt to sympathise with the "confused" client, and press
for the "single door" entry to those wishing receipt of social services. Here the