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
Greenwich 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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147
Since the inception of the scheme under the National Health
Service Act, the demand for the service has grown steadily and this
growth is persisting.
Portable Aids for Handicapped Persons—Prior to January 1966
certain portable aids (for example bath seats, bath boards and
raised lavatory seats) were provided to registered physically handicapped
people under the Council's scheme for the welfare of such
persons. It was felt these aids could also be of great benefit to many
people, particularly infirm elderly persons, who would not necessarily
be eligible for registration as being permanently and substantially
handicapped.
In January 1966 the Council, therefore, decided to extend the
scope of the home nursing equipment scheme to make a wide range
of portable aids available for free loan to all necessitous people.
Moreover, as new items of nursing equipment become available,
they are tested and, if found suitable are introduced into the service.
The table below shows the items of equipment loaned during 1966 and, where appropriate, the comparable figures for the preceding year.
| Equipment | Number Loaned | |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1965 | |
| *Bath Boards | 23 | |
| *Bath Mats | 36 | |
| *Bath Rails | 21 | |
| *Bath Seats | 43 | |
| Air Ripple Bed | 3 | — |
| Air Rings | 41 | 46 |
| Back Rests | 103 | 80 |
| Bed Blocks | 8 | — |
| Bed Cradles | 83 | 64 |
| Bed Pans | 54 | 40 |
| Sorbo Rings | 32 | 21 |
| Fracture Boards | 23 | 16 |
| Mackintosh Sheeting | 101 | 76 |
| Urinals | 43 | 27 |
| Stoke Mandeville Slings | 2 | — |
| Adult Cot | 6 | 7 |
| Egerton Bed | 1 | 1 |
| Hospital Bed | 16 | 18 |
| Armchair | 348 | 307 |
| Others | 1 | — |