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
Fulham 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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service was started and unfortunately there is now a waiting list. Very urgent cases
however, such as patients newly discharged from hospital, are given special consideration
Requests are regularly received from hospital almoners and doctors for invalid
meals not necessarily because the patients need special diets but because the meals are
needed on 5 days a week. The meals supplied by the "meals on wheels" service are of
course suitable in many such cases but under the present arrangements the meals can only
be supplied on two days a week. To ease the pressure on Invalid Meals for London the
only solution appears to be the transfer of cases from Invalid Meals to "Meals on Wheels"
but this would necessitate an extension of the "Meals on Wheels" service by deliveries on
more days per week than at present The cost to the pensioners of each meal supplied by
Invalid Meals was increased from 10d. to 11d. on 3rd December, 1956 The increase would
have been greater but for the grant made to Invalid Meals by the Committee.
Chiropody
Owing to the increased demand for clinical chiropody the Committee agreed to an
increase from 3 to 4 hours for each session of chiropody from 3rd July, 1956. This
service is not self supporting and the balance of expenses is met out of grants to the
Committee mainly from the Sunday Cinema Entertainments Fund.
As will be seen from the following figures the number of treatments has increased but appointments for new cases still have to be made many weeks in advance.
| Number of Treatments given at Red Cross Society's premises and Bishop Creighton House | |
|---|---|
| June 1956 | 56 |
| July " | 63 |
| August " | 55 |
| September " | 67 |
| October " | 79 |
| November " | 66 |
| December " | 50 |
For information the chiropody sessions as now provided are set out below:-
Bishop Creighton House.
Lillie Road,
Every Tuesday 1.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Fulham, S. W. 6.
British Red Cross Society,
52, New King's Road,
Every Tuesday 9. 0 a.m. to 1. 0 p.m.
Fulham, S. W. 6.
Luncheon Clubs
An additional luncheon club was opened by the W. V. S. at St. James' Church Hall,
Moore Park Road, S. W. 6, on 19th March 1957 where meals are served on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m. This new club is thriving and serves an average of 19
meals each session
There are now three luncheon clubs in existence in the Borough, the other two being
the Brunswick Luncheon Club, Haldane Road, (run by the Red Cross) and the Coronation
Green Luncheon Club (run by the W. V. S. ) at Cobb's Hall. The luncheon clubs are very
Popular with the old people and render a worth while service. Not only do they supply
mid-day meals to old people at a price they can afford, but they also help to bring
companionship to those who are lonely.