[Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Radnorshire County Council.
- Radnorshire (Wales). County Council.
- Date:
- 1950
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Radnorshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![1. STATISTICS. New Cases 36 Attendances 110 Ex-hospital patients 8 Attendances 16 2. Although the numbers are small the Clinic does, I think, justify its existence, as otherwise the patients would have to travel long distances to other Clinics. The Clinic has enabled several patients to be treated as out-patients who otherwise would have required in-patient treatment; while in other cases it has been possible, when hospitalisation was essentia], to avoid certification by pursuading the patient to come voluntarily into hospital. 3. Although no formal Child Guidance Clinic is held, nor do I consider one necessary, a few children have been seen who were reported either by the School Medical Officer, or by the child’s own Doctor, when special problems have arisen. Somewhat against current opinion I believe that the function of a psychiatrist as regards children is very limited, and that one can very easily do more harm than good. I feel strongly that children should only be referred to a Psychiatrist when there is grossly abnormal behaviour, or when other methods have failed to correct a child’s behaviour. A Psychiatrist should be the last resort, not the first. 4. Another somewhat unexpected function of the Clinic has been interviewing relatives of patients in Mental Hospital. Several relatives of patients are unable to make the journey to Talgarth but are very glad to be able to see a Medical Officer from the Hospital. A personal interview is much more satisfactory than correspondence.” The supervision of patients in their own homes is carried out by Miss Gwendoline Morgan, the part-time Social Worker for this area. She is paid by the Regional Hospital Board and contributions in respect of her salary are made by the three counties of Brecon, Radnor and Montgomery, who make use of her services on a part-time basis. Her work has been much appreciated. Miss Morgan reports as follows :— '‘The main duties of the worker for the Local Health Authority has been the supervision of patients discharged from Mental Hospitals. The Social Worker forges a link between the hospital and the home with a view to lessening the strain when the patient returns from a supervised institu- tional life to his responsibilities in the world. Advice and encouragment is given in domestic and occupational problems,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28875047_0038.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
