This 2016 interview with John Langford AM explores John’s experiences working at Lachlan Park Hospital/Royal Derwent Hospital located in New Norfolk Tasmania from 1962 through the seventies when he set up community based support organisations in the psycho-social model, a philosophy that he had studied in the United Kingdom to support those people with mental health issues that didn’t require incarceration.
A trained Psychiatric Social Worker, John, at the age of 80 years took the time off his full time job to speak with me. He recently opened an accommodation centre in Mackay Queensland to assist people in crisis and has been awarded the highest honour you can get from Rotary Australia the ‘Paul Harris Award’.
This now matched his 2014 member of the Order of Australia as part of the Queen’s Birthday honours list. It was a delight to meet and talk with this gentleman who has dedicated his life’s work to people with mental health issues, intellectual disabilities and those in crisis.
He starts with telling about the shock he received when he first started and was given a tour, this is not dis-similar to the comments I have received by many ex-staff when they first started. He then discussed the community based structures and training at the hospital that came out from the leadership of Eric Cunningham Dax. He was instrumental in a number of organisations including PRA, Community Hostels, Caroline House and Mara House.
John was one of a number of people who were in positions at the hospital that were able to make a real difference and it was only mentioned to me recently that we need to gather that history, so this is, one person and how they have and are still contributing to the ongoing care and support of people living with mental health issues and\or intellectual disabilities.
The interview goes for just over 23 minutes. Adjust to high Definition.
2 Comments
My grandfather died here in 1966. He had Huntingtons cholera or career as some called it. We were told he was bashed by another patient, and died from his injuries. Is there anyway we can find out about his time in the lunatic asylum?
As family you would be able to access his patient files. Any injuries and treatment would be recorded there. The means of how he came to have those injuries may not be as clear. The place was called Lachlan Park Hospital in 1966.