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24
PUBLIC HEALTH LAUNDRY
In the past a number of people who were incontinent but
who did not require any specialised medical treatment were
admitted to hospital because it was not possible to make arrangements
for the laundering of the soiled articles. The ordinary
commercial laundries cannot accept such articles.
If the patient was living in an ordinary household this
disagreeable task was usually undertaken at home but where a
person, usually an old person, was living alone or with only an
equally elderly or ill spouse the position became impossible.
Home helps have on occasion done this work in some cases in order
to save the patient being admitted to hospital but this is not work
which they ought to be required to do.
The laundry service which operates from the Public Health
Station in Lithos Road provides the necessary services for these
cases. It is restricted to cases where through age or illness a
person is incontinent and where the laundering cannot be done at
home. It has made it possible for many people to remain in their
own homes rather than be admitted to hospital and the service is
greatly appreciated by the District Nurses, home helps, relatives
and friends as well as the patient.
The soiled articles are collected, laundered and delivered
twice a week and the number of persons using the service at any
one time has varied from 29 to 34. The total number of articles
dealt with during the year was 12,710.
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES
The Ministry of Health requires that this Report should
include information on certain points concerning water supply,
swimming baths and sewerage.
Water Supply
All the drinking water used in the Borough is supplied by
the Metropolitan Water Board. There are no private wells in use.
Routine examination of the water supply is not carried out by the
Council but examinations are carried out if any complaint is received
or if there is any reason to suspect the purity of any
particular supply.