London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Tottenham 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]
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97
DOMESTIC HELP SERVICE
(Section 29)
The total number of cases provided with home help during the
year was 1815 This figure shows no sign of declining and, as
stated last year, the bulk of the cases comprise the chronic sick,
including aged and infirm, who need more or less permanent help
The demands on the organisation can be readily appreciated when it
it is realised that nearly 1000 patients now require help week by
week.
The following table shows details of the cases served during the year:-
| Cases provided with help | No. of new cases provided with help | No. of old cases for which help was continued from 1956 | Total No. of cases provided with help during year | Total No of cases still being provided with help at end of year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity (including expectant mothers) | 120 | 14 | 134 | 10 |
| Tuberculosis | 24 | 40 | 64 | 34 |
| Chronic Sick (including aged and infirm) | 552 | 910 | 1462 | 941 |
| Others | 141 | 14 | 155 | 12 |
| Total | 837 | 978 | 1815 | 997 |
Night Service
This service continued during the year to provide help for
patients who are very ill or dying and who need night attention,
and so enable relatives or others who normally provide this
assistance to get a certain amount of relief During the year
seven cases were served for a total of 433 hours
Training Scheme
The plan to give some instruction to home helps was carried
out for the first time during 1956 and has been repeated in 1957
A small group of ten attended on Thursday afternoons at
2 o'clock in the mothercraft room at Lordship Lane Clinic This
Provides pleasant, warm and well lit accommodation and has an
adjoining room used as a kitchen where the ever welcome cup of tea
can be prepared.
Five talks were given in the series with plenty of questions
at the end. The subjects of discussion included accidents and
their prevention; emergencies, e.g heart attacks, first aid for