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

View report page

Kensington 1943

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

-14-
they are not fit to return to work. The Tuberculosis. Officer has
the power to continue the allowance for two periods of
six months after discharge from a sanatorium. In exceptional
cases the allowance may be continued for a further
period at the discretion of the Minister of Health, to
whom the case must be referred by the Tuberculosis Officer.
In addition, the income of persons able to do part-time
work only may be supplemented through the scheme.
Some patients undergoing treatment in institutions,
although having no dependants, have no income of any
sort. In these cases pocket money is allowed under the
scheme, and is paid to them by the steward of the institution.
In the London area the County Council are responsible
for assessing the allowances. The machinery of
the borough council's tuberculosis dispensary is, however,
used for making enquiries in regard to allowances, and the
actual payments are made at the dispensary.
Application forms for allowances are issued
from the dispensary, and the dispensary staff give any
necessary help to the applicants.
The L.C.C. Assessment Officer attends the
dispensary once a week to assess all new cases, and to
review the old ones when any change in financial circumstances
has occurred.
Details of payments to be made are sent in advance
to the Borough Treasurer and a member of his staff
attends the dispensary weekly to make the necessary payments
to persons authorised by the patients to receive them. The
payments are made one week in advance, and started on the
30th June, 1943.

During the year, 92 patients received allowances classified as follows:-

Maintenance allowances70
Special allowances28
Discretionary allowances6

The amount disbursed during the year was
£1,013. 15s. 9d.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
Your obedient Servant,
JAMES FENTON,
Medical Officer of Health.