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39
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT „ 1948.
1 PERSONS IN NEED OF CARE AND ATTENTION. (Section 47)
As in 1949, recourse to legal proceedings to secure the removal
to suitable premises of persons in need of care and attention proved
unnecessary, It has always been the Public Health Department's
policy to secure the co-operation of those persons whose infirmities
render it essential that they receive adequate care, and the soundness
of such an approach to a difficult problem is fully borne out by the fact
that in thirty=two instances admissions to hospitals & were arranged
in practically every case by friendly discussion,,
2„ BURIAL OR CREMATION OF THE DEAD., (Section 50)
In accordance with the provisions of the above Act, a local
authority is required to make arrangements for the burial or cremation
of the body of any person in respect of whom no other suitable
arrangements can be madeQ
During the period 5th July to 31st December, 1948, 43 interments were
arranged, whilst during the whole of 1949, necessary action was taken in
25 instances.
In March , 1949 , the Minister of Health reconsidered the application
of Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1.948, and it was decided
that Hospital Committees and Boards should arrange and pay for the burial
or cremation of patients dying in hospital under the following circumstances; -
(a) Relatives not being tracedj
(b) Relatives being traced, but who were not, immediately before a
patient's deaths liable for his (or her) maintenance under
Section 42(1) of the National Assistance Act 1948, and are not
wilHrtg todandertakfe the arrangement bf burial or cremation;
and (c) Relatives not being able to obtain a death grant under the
National Insurance Act, 1946, and unable to accept financial
responsibility for burial or cremation expenses.
Responsibility for the interment or cremation of the great majority
of persons who die in hospitalswill therefores not fall to the local
authority,, Nevertheless, the latter deal with such cases as may be
referred to them by hospital authorities owing to the failure of a liable
relative to assume his or her responsibility, whilst the Borough Council
has also to make the necessary arrangements in respect of the bodies of
persons dying in their own homes in such cases as enquiries for liable
relatives have proved fruitless,. Section 50(4) of the Act provides that
"an authority may recover from the estate of the deceased person or from
any other person who for the purposes of this Act was liable to maintain
the deceased person immediately before his (or her) death, expenses
incurred.