London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Chelsea 1964

Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1964

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27
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACTS, 19W1962
(a) National Assistance Act, 1948 - Section 47, and National Assistance
(Amendment) Act, 1931 - Section 1,
Removal to Hospital and/or Institution of Persons in Need of Care
and Attention,
During the year action was necessary under the provisions of
the above Acts for the compulsory removal of an aged and infirm
person who was in need of proper care and attention, This case
concerned an old lady, aged 76 years, who was living alone, and was
suffering from the effects of self-neglect and malnutrition,
(b) National Assistance Act, 1948 - Section 21,
Provision of "Part III" Accommodation,
It is the duty of a local authority, subject to and in
accordance with the provisions of Section 21 of the Act, to provide
residential accommodation for persons needing care and attention,
and temporary accommodation for persons who are in urgent need thereof,
The London County Council was, in this particular respect, "the
local authority", and such accommodation was provided at "King's Mead",
Dovehouse Street, During 1964, it was considered necessary to
arrange for the admission of 21 persons to such accommodation and all
but five of these admissions were made at "King's Mead",
(c) National Assistance Act, 1948 - Section 50,
Burial or Cremation of the Dead,
Under Section 50 of the above Act the Borough Council was
required to arrange for the burial or cremation of any person who
died, or who had been found dead in the Borough, if it appeared in
such cases that no other suitable arrangements could be made,
Cremation was not carried out having regard to the many legal,
religious, administrative and practical difficulties, and disposal
was always by way of interment which obviated any suggestion that the
Council had acted in an unauthorised manner,
*
The Borough Council had power to recover from the estate of a
deceased person the expenses incurred in carrying out this duty, in
so far as these expenses are not covered by a Death Grant under the
National Insurance Scheme,
During the year three burials were arranged by the Council's
Contractor as follows:-
Males
(Aged) 58 years
68 years
85 years