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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functioning at Tunnel Avenue and Plumstead Baths. The Bathing
Service Staff now consists of:—
11 Full time Bath Attendants
1 Part Time Bath Attendant
3 Male Bath Attendants
1 Driver (combined post)
The functions of this service, which are two-fold, are carried
out as originally envisaged in accordance with Section 43 of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1953.
Home Bathing—Such a service was introduced for elderly
persons not ill enough to need a District Nurse but, owing to varying
disabilities, require assistance; these include a small number of all
age groups, who due to some crippling deformity are unable to cope
either on their own or with help from relatives.
Bathing at Bathing Centres—Elderly people who are concerned
with this service are conveyed to the centres by minibus and they
consist of those persons who have inadequate bathing facilities at
home coupled with blindness, failing sight or suffer with other
physical disabilities.
Hair-washing and pedicure have become indispensable off-shoots of the bathing service for although many old people are able to bath themselves they lack the range of movement and dexterity to perform these very necessary personal functions.
| Tunnel Avenue | Plumstead | Lionel Road | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number bathed at home | 2,187 | 3,364 | 1,015 | 6,566* |
| Number bathed at centre | 1,884 | 1,450 | 483 | 3,817† |
| Pedicure | 315 | 39 | 30 | 384 |
| Hair-washing | 10 | — | — | 10 |
* Males 2,677 Females 3,889
† Males 888 Females 2,929
Miscellaneous—Treatment of scabies and the cleansing of
verminous persons are also duties falling to the staff of the bathing
centres.
Incontinent Laundry Service
This service has been established to:—
(i) relieve the pressure on families who are managing under
extreme difficulties with seriously ill patients;
(ii) assist many old persons who, although not seriously ill,
have a stress incontinence or kidney condition.
Although dealing mainly with laundry from the homes of the
elderly, this service is extended to all like cases of all ages at home
or in residential care. Collections are usually daily but they can vary
from twice to three times per week. There is no doubt but that this