VILLA SYSTEM OF MENTAL HOSPITALS

Chronicle (Levin), 16 August 1946, Page 5

VILLA SYSTEM OF MENTAL HOSPITALS

- Press Association

By Telegraph-

W LLLIJN GTUJN , August 14. Criti^'ism of tliQ sclieme advocated by the Director-General of Meclical Services, Dr. T. G. Gray, for tlie developnient of the villa system of mental hospital grouping aud decentralisation of mental institutions, was made by Dr. 'T. J. Daly, formerly medieal otficer at Porirua Mental Ilospital, in an interview today prior to his departure 011 the itangiliki for London. The standard of medicine in New Zealand was good, he said, and the treatment of mental patients had improved Imt many of Ihe present administrntive diftic.ult ies could be ironed out if tlie unsatisfactory remote control ftf hos])itals from the central departnient was replaced hy loeal control. The decentralisation of mental hospitals made it very diftic.ult for persons to visit piitients and produced many adminisIrative dillicullii's. Also there would be a Jot of dissat.isfaction amoiig nurses if the liospitals were situated far away from cities- and centres of entertainment. The chief consideration was that tlie mental patient had still to be considered as a jihysieal entity even ibougli he was mentallv sick and tlie results of his mental eondition were (•orlrayed in his physical well being. ( 'oiisequeiillv mental hospitals sliould be in close cont.act with the general hosl»i(als near cities aud not isolated in the cruntry. Mental, medieal and surgical treatment should all Ite coordinated in mental hospitals. This would explode the idea of removing hospitals i'Tom Ihe cities which, after all, was an ohl-fash-ioned idea. Dr. Daly came to New Zealand in 1938 at tlie request. of the Government aud was at Porirua mental hospital nntii 1944 when he was manpowered to Kaj'amea, near Westport, where he set up a "lmsh" practice. He is nnw returning to London and later to his native Treland. Ilis future plans are uncertain.