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hygienic improvement effected there was also substantial saving of staff time,
since the staff were able to carry out their other duties (e.g cleansing of
persons) on the same premises, instead of having to travel to and fro between
Seven Sisters Road, and the Essex Road Baths as hitherto,
Transport of Elderly Persons
The Public Health Committee considered during the year the problem of the
cleansing of elderly persons including those whose soiled laundry is dealt with
by the Department. It is obvious that those who soil their bedlinen etc. must
themselves need frequent cleansing Arrangements for the cleansing of such persons
in their own homes have been made by the Department under the London County Council
(General Powers) Act 1953 Section 43:-
(1) Where it appears to a sanitary authority upon a report from
the medical officer of health or a sanitary inspector for their
district that any aged person within their district.
(a) is verminous or is for any other reason in need of
cleansing in order to prevent injury or the danger of
injury to health; and
(b) is so enfeebled that he is unable to avail himself of
any facilities for cleansing himself provided by the
authority under any enactment or to cleanse himself
properly;
the authority may on the application or with the consent of that
person (but not otherwise) cause him to be cleansed free of charge
at the place where he resides or at any other suitable place.
(2) A sanitary authority may make all such arrangements and provide
all such apparatus and things as may be necessary for the
convenient exercise of the powers conferred by the foregoing
subsection.
Visiting each home, however is not only a time-consuming process but there
are often very limited facilities for obtaining hot water etc. in the houses
concerned It was therefore considered that the personal cleansing service should
be further assisted by having available the alternative of bathing at the Council's
Treatment Centre for those persons who are willing to go and not physically unable
to leave their homes. The Committee agreed that for those unable to use public
transport the Council should provide a special vehicle for sitting cases
The vehicle eventually selected was an ambulance conversion which included a
raised fibreglass roof, giving an interior height of 5' 7'' and seating for at least
seven persons The vehicle was also to be lined with fibreglass internally and
fitted with rubber flooring to allow for complete washing.