MENTAL HOSPITALS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 243, 11 July 1938, Page 13

MENTAL HOSPITALS

Decrease In Number Of First Admissions

REPORT OF DIRECTOR-

GENERAL

\ slight decrease in the number of persons admitted to the mental hospitals of New Zealand for the first turn is revealed in the annual repoit lor 11)37 of the Director-General of Mental Hospitals, Dr. T. G. Gray, Which was presented in (he House of Representatives on Friday. The number admitted last vein- was 1123, compared with 1145 in 1930, while 304 former inmates returned to the hospitals. The report states that there were 8234 persons on Hie registers at the eml of the year, including 46 patients at Ashburn Hall. Dunedin, the only licensed institution in the Dominion, and 638 patients and boarders who were on probation in the care of friends and relatives. In actual residence in .State hospitals there were 7uo- persons, an increase of 13 over the previous year, including 310 voluntary boarders. ~ , . During the year 875 patients and boarders, or 61 per cent, calculated on admissions, were discharged, but not more than 502, or 35 per cent., could be regarded as recovered. Having regard to the large number of those admitted Whose mental disorder Was due to congenital causes, to the degenerative changes of old age, and to Incurable organic disease ef the nervous system, the percentage of discharges could be regarded as very satisfactory. Discussing accommodation, the report states that the net deficiency is 569, compared with 514 in 1936, the difference being accounted for by the necessity which occurred during the year to evacuate part of the female side nt Seacliff, with accommodation for 60 women, as the buildings had become unsafe owing to the unstable ground. It is pointed out that In discussing the question of accommodation it must be borne in mind that tills does not merely mean the quarters occupied by the patients, as simultaneously with or preferably ahead of the erection of these quarters provision has to be made for the necessary nurses’ homes, stores, service departments, medical staff and other needs. During the year a large programme had been carried out with the object of wiping out the deficiency in accommodation at an early date. Porirua Patients.

In ills report on the Porirua Mental Hospital the superintendent, Dr. Hart, states that the total number of cases under care during the year was 2044, of whom 1817 were committed patients, 219 were voluntary boarders, and the balance were cases remanded for observation. Admissions numbered 431, under certification 326, as voluntary boarders 97, and on remand 8. During the year 239 persons (152 committed patients and 87 voluntary boarders) were discharged, while a further number were sufficiently recovered mentally to bo able to leave hospital and go on probation to the care of relatives or friends. Deaths numbered 142, and 66 patients were transferred to other hospitals. “It is worthy of note,” the superintendent states, “that over 22 per cent, of all admissions for the year entered hospital as voluntary boarders. The nature of the great majority of mental disorders precludes the possibility of such cases being admitted voluntarily. The great majority of these cases lack volition, lack insight, and are incapable of seeing the necessity for making a written application for such admission. I think that under these circumstances the percentage of admissions who have voluntarily applied for treatment and have been admitted at least indicates that there is a growing section of the public which has an appreciation of the possibilities of the early treatment of nervous and mental disorders and a confidence in the facilities which the department lias available for such cases.”