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70
Bed cradles 12
Commodes 225
Fracture boards 8
Hoists 14
Mattresses 5
Ripple beds 3
Rubber sheeting 6
Walking aids 11
Wheelchairs 45
The Council's provision of home nursing equipment is supplemented
by the British Red Cross Society. In addition to commodes
and wheelchairs, the British Red Cross Society provides smaller
items of equipment such as air rings, bedpans, urine bottles and
crutches. The Council is continuing to make a grant to the
Society to assist in maintaining stocks of equipment.
Home Help Service
Without this service many of the other health and welfare
services of the Borough would be seriously jeopardized. The
overriding problem is the difficulty of recruiting sufficient staff to
meet the demands and the service has to be spread so that all
applicants are given some service. Whenever possible some help
is provided but in many cases we should like to be able to give
considerably more. At weekends and Bank Holidays some staff
are always available to carry out emergency visits and give essential
service to people who are entirely dependent on the services of
a home help. Where possible neighbours, or in special cases
relatives, are employed to give assistance to a particular person
or group of people. Some of the work of home helps is carried
out in very difficult circumstances and it is not surprising that in
an area of high employment many people tend to seek a more
congenial and remunerative occupation. It is therefore greatly to
their credit that a large number of devoted home helps give such
good service.