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93
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
(C.H.A. Wedeles, L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., D.P.M.(Lond.)
(Principal Medical Officer)
General By the end of the year, there has been some encouraging progress
progress in the development of this Service.
The four new posts of 1 Principal and 3 Assistant Principal Mental
Health Social Workers, created in the previous year, were filled or about
to be so. The 3-team structure — hospital, community and children — has
proved attractive to staff, as it permits the pursuit of specialised
interests, makes possible a clear definition of responsibilities, and the
working of a system of referrals, allocation and supervision of cases.
We have begun the major task of reviewing the work that is being done by
the Service with the intention, where possible, to bring about more
effective use of our resources: e.g. the Assistant in charge of the
hospital team now receives all referrals for social work, sifts and
allocates them and keeps track of their progress. Thus she is able to
provide training and assistance to members of her team, be aware of the
changing Social Work needs of the hospital, and help define the scope
of her department to the medical staff. Though this necessitates a reduction
of her case load, this should be more than balanced' by the
greater efficiency of the team as a whole. A similar scheme operates for
the community team. We have ceased routine visiting of families of subnormals,
temporarily closed cases that appear dormant, and concentrate
on families obviously in need of short or long-term help. It is hoped that
the pruning in low priority areas will make more time available for work
with psychiatric problems at present poorly covered. For instance, one
hopes, at some time in the future, to be in a position to offer psychiatric
social work help to those G.P's. interested in some form of part-time
liaison arrangement.
The parents of all children with diagnosed mental handicaps or
disorders are seen as soon after birth as the condition is known. The
problems of child and family are assessed, suitable psychiatric or social
work help is offered, and a foundation laid for future planning. A
Psychiatric Social Worker trained in child guidance work acts in a consulting
capacity to the staff of the Junior Training School and advises
on any relevant problems arising from its work. The Head Teacher of
the Junior Training School is freely accessible to parents, and herself