[Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Denbighshire County Council.

  • Denbighshire (Wales). County Council. no2004062613.
Date:
1951
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Denbighshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    75/106 (page 75)
    Mental Deficiency Acts. Previously, uwung to the acute shortage of institutional accommodation, ascertainment of defectives in the County was limited to those needing supervision and institutional care, but during 1951 this policy was changed. Each case referred is examined and if ascertained as a Mental Defect- .’ve his future welfare is carefully considered by Committee. Many are placed under Statutory Supervision but, having been ascertained as a mental defective by the Health Auth- ority, immediate action can be instigated in the event of an emergency. This procedure is satisfactory for many de- fectives and they continue ttv live contentedly at home. The sudden death or illness of the parent precipitates a crisis, but even under such difficult circumstances vacancies at mental defective institutions are extremely hai'd to obtain. The supervision of defectives in the home requires tact and full appreciation of the difficulties. A well trained social worker can allay the worries and simplify the problems of those in charge of the defective. While trained male Duly .\uthorised Officers may be admirable for the supervision of male defectives, I am of the opinion that female defectives should be supervised by a suitably trained woman, and while hesitating to add tu the duties of the Health Visitor, I would suggest that consideration should be given to^ this alternative. There are! only a few defectives under Guardianship, as the Orders were allowed tu lapse in 1948, when the National Assistance Board accepted financial responsibility for those defectives who were nut receiving guardianship alluwance from the Health Authority. These defectives are regularly visited. Defectives on licence are, by arrangement with the Regional Hospital Boards, regularly visited by a member of the staff and periodic reports submitted. Assistance is given in the placing of defectives in the community and their progress observed. The care of the mental defective in the community is an onerous responsibility and every possible aid should be available When a child has been notified under Section 57(3) of the Education .\ct, it is perforce excluded from school and the res].)onsibility for the training and instructiejn trans- lerred from the Education Authority to the Health .Auth- ority. Unfortunately, only a few facilities are available in this County, reliam e being placetl mainly on obtaining the services of a Home Teacher. Such a provision is the only