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Housing Applications.
All applications for rehousing which are supported by
medical certificates are referred to the Medical Officer of Health
for a recommendation as to whether points should be awarded
on medical grounds. In order that proper consideration might
be given to the circumstances of each case a new form was
devised and brought into use in July 1955. This form provides
for a report by the Sanitary Inspector on the home conditions
of the applicant; it is then sent to the applicant's private
doctor who is asked to enter thereon his observations and
recommendations and return it to the Public Health Department.
All the circumstances are then considered by a Panel
comprising the Medical Officer of Health, the Chest Physician
and a local General Medical Practitioner, who decide as to the
appropriate degree of priority which should be recommended,
i.e. "immediate," "urgent," "less urgent" or "no recommendation.
"This scheme should ensure a much fairer allocation
of accommodation in such cases. During the year under
review 601 applications supported on medical grounds were
referred to the Medical Officer of Health.
Overcrowding.
Seventy-eight cases of overcrowding came to the notice of
the Public Health Department during the year and in every
case the Housing Departments of both the Borough Council and
the London County Council were notified in order that the appropriate
priority might be awarded to the housing applications
of the families concerned.
Sixty-five overcrowded families were rehoused during 1955,
40 by the Borough Council and 25 by the London County Council.