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GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
Hospitals
The position in regard to admissions to hospital is virtually the
same as that reported in the Annual Report for 1952. The greatest
difficulty still remains in securing the admission to hospital or
institution, of the chronic, elderly sick. This is a problem which
applies forcibly to Wood Green, with its ageing population. I have
taken the opportunity of mentioning our difficulties in several
quarters, notably the Liaison Committee set up by the North
Middlesex Division of the British Medical Association. There is at
least the hope that the position will be improved, so far as the
availability of beds and nursing staff permit.
Similar remarks apply to the admission of elderly persons to
homes. Quite obviously, the number of homes available does not in
any way fill the need. Although the Public Health Department is
not directly responsible for admissions to hospitals or homes, except
to a very limited extent, we still take an active interest in the
situation, and have, I think it would be fair to state, been able to
influence the final result in quite a number of cases. In this field,
the Public Health Department works in very close harmony with
the Area Health Staff. This is one of those difficult matters in
which co-operation is most desirable. I am happy to think that this
co-operation does exist in Wood Green, and that it is working to
the advantage of both the elderly and the infirm.
As this Report is being written, news has been received that
the County Council intends to hold a Conference to which members
of local authorities will be invited. I most sincerely hope that this
Conference may result in the setting up of a special committee in
each district, to deal with the problems associated with the aged.
At the moment, it would appear that proper liaison has not been
maintained between all the statutory and voluntary bodies who are
concerned in this problem. Nor does it appear that information
regarding individual cases is always known. I am firmly convinced
that an ad hoc Committee, with full representation, would represent
an extremely useful step in the right direction. Meantime, we must
await the results of the 'Conference mentioned above, in the hope
that this problem, which is becoming more serious every year, can
be tackled in a more practicable and effective manner.
Mention might be made here of the scheme which I suggested
during the year to deal with 'smog' victims, particularly those who
are aged or infirm. It gives me great pleasure to report that my
scheme received sympathetic consideration, both from the Public
Health Committee and from the voluntary bodies which I
approached. Fortunately, it was not necessary to put an emergency
scheme into operation, but the very fact that the proposals were
sympathetically considered gives ground for real satisfaction.
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