Memorandum on social insurance and allied services in their bearing on neurotic disorder
1943 1943 1940s 19 pages 15 should wear something of the aspect, as well as carry out the functions, of a self-respecting and respected public service which endeavours to help individuals according to their human needs. Many beneficiaries of public assistance and other forms of benefit have in the...
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
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| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
[1943?]
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/1FDF86BC-7E80-44CC-B27E-D07005A04375 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/65E7DCCD-F695-4214-B06C-7DFE77946495 |
| Summary: | 1943
1943
1940s
19 pages
15 should wear something of the aspect, as well as carry out the functions, of a self-respecting and respected public service which endeavours to help individuals according to their human needs. Many beneficiaries of public assistance and other forms of benefit have in the recent past become depressed or disgruntled as they were referred from the Town Hall to the Public Assistance Officer, from the Public Assistance Officer to the Labour Exchange, in search of the right office; it is imperative that each office should be designated according to what it does for the citizen, rather than according to the Ministry or authority responsible for it ; all such offices should be in the same building, if possible ; and the office in which payments are issued should be clearly differentiated, for example, from that in which advice about employment is given. The procedure whereby medical certificates are obtained has, as is well known, had an undesirable effect in some instances on the attitude of patients, and of doctors ; such considerations will weigh more heavily if the Beveridge proposals are adopted, and they need to be allowed for. In selection for training schemes the manner and sequence in which the employment officer and perhaps the psychologist investigate the prospective trainee, to ascertain his wishes and abilities, will be less effectual if the man is provoked by often repeated questions or discouraged by unnecessary delays. In rehabilitation it is the experience of neurosis and other centres now carrying out the work for soldiers, as well as for injured workmen, that attention to the details of daily routine can be as important as well-stocked workshops, good massage departments, or facilities for physical training. These are important matters. But it would be premature to enter into precise recommendations before the framework of the scheme has been defined more fully than at present. When that stage is reached, there will be many administrative details on which the psychiatrist would be able to make suggestions based on his experience. There are some forms of psychiatric anomaly which make the work of such a scheme difficult because those exhibiting them seem to be unemployable, and some which appear to arise because of the existence of the scheme. The latter may, for convenience, be called ''benefit neurosis," and must be prevented wherever possible ; the former consist largely of mental deficiency and psychopathic personality, and must be allowed for. To cope with them the following steps are advocated : (1) There should be a committee which advises on policy regarding these people and supervises the effective working of the policy enforced. It will concern itself with all persons receiving benefit longer than a stated period. Psychiatry should be represented on this advisory committee. (2) Any individual who has been receiving benefit longer than the stated period should have his case referred to an officer, with specialized social training, who will have medical advice at his or her disposal ; and whose business it will be to decide whether the worker should be examined by a psychiatrist. There should be arrangements for the psychiatrist to review persons with a persistent illness whenever there is doubt whether this illness is sufficient physical cause for their disability. (3) Rehabilitation and training : The scheme envisages various methods, e.g., placement by employment exchanges, retraining and rehabilitation, for
292/847/2/174 |
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |