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Hostels for the Mentally Disordered
There is a great need for a hostel for the mentally disordered within
the Borough and suitable premises are still being sought for conversion to
a hostel to accommodate 8-10 residents and a resident warden.

Home Help Service (National Health Service Act. 1946. Section 29 as
amended b.y the Health Services and Public Health Act. 1968)
Section 13 of the 1968 Act imposes on local health authorities a duty
to provide, or arrange to provide, a home help service adequate for the
needs of their area. It replaces the existing permissive power to provide
this service in Section 29 of the National Health Service Act, 1946. The
section specifically includes persons handicapped by past injury or congenital deformity amongst those who may qualify for assistance from the
home help service. In addition, the Section confers on local health authorities a new general power to provide, or arrange for the provision of, laundry facilities for households where home help is being, or may be provided.
In the light of the present economic situation it has been decided to defer
for the present bringing this Section into force; during the period of
deferment Section 29 of the 1946 Act remains in force. Authorities will be
notified of the date of implementation of this Section in due course.
The demands upon this service, without which many of the other nursing
and welfare services would be unable to provide supportive service, continue
to increase. It is still difficult to recruit applicants whose home commitments make it possible for their services to be available in the early morning and evening. The difficult circumstances in which some of the home helps
have to work make recruitment difficult especially in an area where more
congenial employment is freely available.
During the year 2,788 (2,748), persons were provided with domestic
help.
C.27