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119
Compulsory Removal
It was necessary only once to exercise powers under Section 47 of the
National Assistance Act, 1948
Miss B. was living in deplorable conditions with four dogs in a basement.
She refused offers of help from the various domiciliary services available. The
other occupants of the house were too old and feeble to be of any assistance.
As she was therefore a danger, both to herself and others, an Order was obtained
from the Court for her removal to an institution for three months. She died
just before the Order was due for review.
441 old people were persuaded to enter hospitals or institutions
voluntarily.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead - National Assistance Act, 1948
Under Section 50 of the National Assistance Act 1948, the council is
required to arrange for the burial or cremation of any person who has died, or
been found dead, in the Borough, if it appears that no other satisfactory
arrangements are being made.
38 such funerals were arranged and whenever possible the Council's
expenses were recovered.
Home Dialysis Units
With the introduction of Home Dialysis Units (Kidney machines) it is
possible for the pressure on restricted hospital facilities to be relieved by
discharging to their homes people with kidney failure.
The units are provided by the hospital service, but their installation
requires adaptation to the patient's home.
Early in 1968 a circular was received from the Ministry of Health
notifying the Minister's approval to the making of arrangements by the Council
(under Section 28 of the National Helath Service Act, 1946) " for the
adaptation of any dwelling or the provision of any additional facilities which
may be necessary for installing equipment for intermittent haemodyalisis".
Late in 1968 a teaching hospital asked for such facilities to be provided
for one of its patients residing in the Borough. It was found that the premises
in which this patient resided were totally unsuited to such adaptation, so