Orders of the Day — Government's Social Policy

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 March 1957.

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Photo of Dr Donald Johnson Dr Donald Johnson , Carlisle 12:00, 19 March 1957

Yes, the old people. One-third of our certified patients are over 65 years of age. They go into hospital and, because of the failure of rehabilitation in this way, they stay there.

One cannot pass over this question without commenting, by way of compliment, on the splendid work being done in the geriatric unit at Oxford by Dr. Cosin, by which he has rehabilitated old people by getting them into hospital in time. They have been rehabilitated quickly and have been returned to the community quickly. He is setting an example that might well be followed in other parts of the country. This is by no means a novel conception even in this country, because there are powers available in Section 28 of the National Health Act, to any local authority to put a service of this kind into action straight away.

The Macintosh Committee sat from 1948 to 1951 with the special purpose of considering social workers in the mental health services, but by the time that the Committee had reported and made its recommendations, in very similar terms to what I have been describing, a working party on health visitors had been set up under Sir William Jameson. That working party took another three years to consider the matter and apparently action had to wait until it was seen how the social workers in the mental health services would fit into the general picture of social workers.

One cannot help pointing out that three years went by before we had exactly three paragraphs in a Report, which was the sum total that seemed to deal with mental work. By the time that Report had been issued there was a further working party—the Younghusband Committee on social workers, whose report we are still awaiting. One cannot avoid saying that we seem to develop our social services by fits and starts. We have a big upheaval overnight, as we did in 1948, and now we have been waiting nearly ten years for further development of this small part of the National Health Service.

We know that these matters are being considered, but it is important that we should have some idea of what is happening at present. in contrast with the kind of service that I have visualised. I will read to the House a letter from a former mental patient, describing what happens when a patient is considered to be mental and is taken to hospital. It shows what happens in contrast to what should happen—the patient being seen by a tactful and trained psychiatric social worker and a skilled psychiatrist.

This man, in a letter to me, describes, first, how he was certified as a result of a sudden and unexpected visit by a doctor, a duly authorised officer and a justice fo the peace. He continues: After the aforesaid meeting in my house, and the departure of the four visitors, there was an interval. Towards 12 noon there was an amazing scene. Two uniformed policemen (an inspector and a constable) arrived art the door, demanded admission, and an ambulance drew up outside. My removal was effected in the best traditions of the old Nazi Gestapo. Without explanation, without a moment's notice, I was bundled into the ambulance. An attendant inside hugged and held on to me as though a murder had just been committed. I had to tell him to desist, and even the policeman sitting opposite smiled That is the sort of thing that happens today. It is only one instance and I quote it because it has been better described than a number of others which have been brought to my notice.

It shows how the mental services in the country are getting into a quite unnecessary disrepute, because this man was not in the least violent. It was completely unnecessary to bring a policeman in this case, just as it is unnecessary in any case of mental illness that can be tactfully and skilfully handled. I submit, therefore, that the service which I have described to the House all too briefly is urgently needed.