Social service for a medical ward.

On the eve of new legislation which will affect the results of illness for hospital patients, it seems opportune to discuss the present neecLfor an almoner's services on a medical ward and what it is likely to be in the future. In 1943 a study was carried out in this department of a group of patients admitted to a medical ward during a period of six months, and it was concluded that 70 per cent, of the patients required an almoner's supervision or help (Brown and Carling, 1945). Since that date an almoner has been attached as social worker to the department, and her duties have included the social care and supervision of patients while in the ward and after discharge. A further follow-up study has now been carried out in order to find out what difference this has made. The main questions to be answered are: what proportion of medical patients require the services of an almoner, what are the main social problems with which the almoner has to deal, how much almoning time is needed if medical social supervision is to be effective, and how can the almoner's services be integrated most efficiently with those of the medical staff ?