[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, St Helens County Borough.

  • St. Helens (Merseyside, England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, St Helens County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    VL—MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE The powers and functions of the Local Health Authority under the Lunacy : and Mental Treatment Act, 1890-1930 and the Mental Deficiency Acts, 1913-1938 are carried out by the Local Health Committee, who have appointed a Mental Health Sub-Committee. To this Sub-Committee are referred all powers and duties of the Local Health Authority under the National Health Service Act, i 1946, so far as these powers and duties relate to Mental Health and Mental Deficiency. Mental Health Staff.—The Medical Officer of Health is responsible for the organisation and control of the local services under the Lunacy and Mental i Treatment Acts, 1890-1930, and the Mental Deficiency Acts, 1913-1938. To assist him, the day-to-day administration of the Mental Health Department is supervised by an Assistant Medical Officer of Health. Use is also made of the Consultant Psychiatrist at present on the staff of the Local Education Authority ' and, where necessary, of Specialist Medical Officers of the Regional Hospital ' Board. The Non-Medical staff consists of two Mental Health Workers (one male and one female). Both of these officers and the clerk to the Mental Health Section : are designated as Duly Authorised Officers. The two Mental Health Workers ! have each attended a two months’ special Mental Health Course arranged by the ; National Association for Mental Health. The staff of the Occupation Centre for mental defectives, consists of a Supervisor and Assistant Supervisor. Both received one week’s post-graduate instruction during 1949 at a course held at Calderstones Hospital, Whalley, near : Blackburn. During the year a new appointment of Guide and General Helper : was made to the staff. Her duties involve the care of parties of children travelling on public transport vehicles and delivery of them at various points to the care of parents. Her other duties include helping with meals and assisting in the general care and hygiene of the children. For the purposes of Section 5 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913, the following have been appointed approved Medical Officers :—■ Dr. Frank Hauxwell, Medical Officer of Health, St. Helens. Dr. Gerald O’Brien, Deputy Medical Officer of Health, St. Helens. Dr. M. Joyce Caldwell, Psychiatrist, Child Guidance Clinic, St. Helens Education Authority. Dr. N. J. W. Thompson, a local general practitioner with experience in mental deficiency ascertainment. Co-ordination with Regional Hospital Boards.—Close co-operation with the Regional Hospital Board is maintained by frequent consultations with the Board’s Consultant Psychiatrist. One or other of the Local Health Authority’s Mental Health Workers also attends regularly the Psychiatric Out-Patient sessions at a local general hospital. The Local Health Authority is also undertaking, on request, the super¬ vision of patients on trial or on licence from Mental Hospitals and Institutions for Mental Defectives. In addition the following reports have been supplied on request :— (a) the home conditions of patients under consideration for trial on licence or discharge from Hospitals and Institutions ; and (b) the home conditions of patients in Institutions whose cases are due for consideration under Section 11 of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913,