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GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH
SERVICES IN THE AREA
Welfare Services provided for Aged Persons.
In January of the year under review, the Medical Officer of
Health submitted to the Public Health Committee of the Council
a report on the Supply of Hot Midday Meals to Old People. The
Committee decided to ask the Voluntary Associations concerned
to take steps to extend this service for which financial assistance
was already being granted by the Council. Towards the end of
the year, the Camberwell Old People's Welfare Association
submitted to the Council their proposals for re-organising the
Association involving the appointment of a full-time Organising
Secretary and the establishment of a Central Office to serve as
a registry for old people and a co-ordinating centre for the
direction and allocation of the work. A statement of the
estimated expenditure for the first full year was also submitted
and the Council authorised payment of a grant to the Association
amounting to £1,200 to cover the net expenses for one year,
exclusive of the cost of operating three foot clinics.
The Sanitary Inspectors made 62 visits of inspection to aged
persons' premises and took steps to secure the abatement of any
sanitary nuisances found.
It is essential for those concerned with aged persons to see
that the necessary procedure is followed to provide them with
the services of a doctor under the National Health Service Act
as the responsibility for securing the admission into hospital
of an aged sick person who is willing to be so removed falls upon
the general medical practitioner who is the National Health
Service doctor in charge of the patient.
The Medical Officer of Health of a local Sanitary Authority
has no statutory power to enable him to secure the admission
of an old person into hospital UNLESS the person concerned is
unwilling to go into an institution or hospital and, IN
ADDITION, is suffering from a grave chronic disease or being
aged, infirm or physically incapacitated is living in insanitary
conditions and is unable to devote to himself or herself, and is
not receiving from other persons, proper care and attention.
In such circumstances, Section 47 of the National Assistance
Act, 1948, enables a local sanitary authority to apply to a
Court of Summary Jurisdiction for an Order to remove the person
to a hospital or institution. It did not become necessary
during the year to resort to these statutory powers to secure the
compulsory removal of any old person to an institution.