View report page

54
The Care Committee.—No Care Committee existed
until some time after the opening of the Dispensary in
1911 and cases were referred by the Medical Officers
directly to the Charity Organisation Society or the
Guardians when financial help was required. The
Charity Organisation Society also sent many cases to
Sanatorium and the Borough had six beds in Benenden
Sanatorium.
Subsequently a voluntary Care Committee was
formed, composed of members of the Dispensary
Executive Committee and representatives from the
Charity Organisation Society, Invalid Children's Aid
Association, School Care Committees, the Medical
Officer of Health and the Tuberculosis Officer. Later
on the Care Committee was taken over by the London
County Council and in 1923 it became a sub-committee
of the Public Health Committee of the Fulham Borough
Council.
The work of this Committee is of a high standard,
recruited as it is from Borough Councillors who take a
real interest in the work and by members of various
voluntary societies engaged in helping the sick in the
Borough. One of the members of the Board of
Guardians also sits on the Committee and his services
are of the greatest assistance.
The Committee meets once a fortnight and is
advisory, giving no help directly. It is a link between
the Dispensary and the various sources from which the
patients receive financial assistance. The details of
the work of the Committee were described in the 1923
report and may be summarised as follows:—
(1) Securing financial help, extra nourishment,
clothing, beds and bedding for needy patients.
The beds are lent in order to allow patients
to sleep alone.
(2) Friendly visiting and general advice which
sometimes prevents patients from prematurely
discharging themselves from sanatoria.