Industrial Units in Psychiatric Hospitals

Our experience at The Towers Hospital is that occupational, social and recreational therapy is an essential part of the treatment of acute psychiatric patients, and in the light of our present experience should not be entirely replaced by industrial therapy, i.e. remunerative employment, whether in a factory workshop setting within the hospital or remunerative work in hospital departments. However, an Industrial Therapy Workshop is an indispensable part of a rehabilitation and resettlement programme. Since our Unit has been in operation patients have improved immeasurably. It has led to greater independence, and has been the means of resettling a significant number of patients in the community.

A survey was carried out by questionnaire of industrial therapy in the mental hospitals in Great Britain and the replies have been summarized to show the present situation and the extent of agreement or differences between hospitals.

Questions which arise for the future are, firstly, what would be the effect on mental hospital production units of any serious trade recession; and, secondly, if the predicted decline in long-stay patients should take place, whether industrial therapy would also dwindle and be seen as a necessary stage in the evolution of psychiatric treatment rather than as a permanent provision. Should mental hospitals eventually be replaced by psychiatric departments in general hospitals, these might be served by multi-purpose rehabilitation units for both mentally and physically handicapped people.