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
Kensington 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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-10-
A woman health officer appointed to deal, inter alia,
with the care of the aged commenced duty on the 9th May, 1949.
During the year 142 cases of old people needing attention were
referred to this officer and, in many of the cases, her visits
did in themselves have a beneficial effect. Owing to her
other duties, she was not able to make visits with adequate
frequency and regularity, and the Council agreed that an
assistant woman officer should he appointed to help in this work.
In regard to those old people found to be living in
insanitary conditions, it was decided, as an experiment, to
take steps to secure rehabilitation and cleansing in selected
cases. The procedure adopted was broadly:-
(i) to arrange for the old person to be temporarily
accommodated in a hospital, home or hostel;
(ii) to disinfest the room and contents;
(iii) to arrange with owners to carry out necessary
repairs and decorations.
The Council hope to extend this work as necessary and
the Housing & Town Planning Committee have agreed to provide
where possible temporary accommodation for old people whose
rooms are being disinfested and cleansed under this scheme.
A summary of the work undertaken by the Council's woman health officer in connection with the care of old people is as follows
| Number of old people reported during the year Number of these cases assisted - | 142 |
| (a) through the National Assistance Board | 62 |
| (b) through voluntary societies | 59 |
| (c) by the provision of home helps | 82 |
| (d) by pensions from local charities | 4 |
| Cases provided with meals | 69 |
| Cases provided with holidays by co-operation with voluntary societies | 7 |
| Cases referred to recreational clubs | 58 |
| Cases assisted in the provision of medical and nursing care | 56 |
| Cases removed to homes | 5 |
| Cases removed to hospital | 15 |
| Cases compulsorily removed to institutions | 1 |
| Cases where disinfestation was carried out | 16 |
| Cases temporarily rehoused whilst home was | 4 |
| Total number of home visits paid to old people Number of other visits paid in connection with | 504 |
| old people | 98 |
| Cases remaining under observation at the end of the year | 118 |
Removal of old and infirm persons to institutions etc.,
Under Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, 1948,
the Council may apply to a Court for an order to remove to a
suitable institution any person who -
(a) is suffering from grave chronic disease or,
being aged, infirm or physically incapacitated,
is living in insanitary conditions, and
(b) is unable to devote to himself, or is not
receiving from other persons, proper care and
attention.