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63
British Dental Hospital, 39 patients received treatment and 9
were provided with dentures. The Borough Council granted
diet allowance of milk and butter to 12 patients after their
return from Sanatoria, in order to maintain their working
capacity. The six shelters provided by the Borough Council
were in constant use.
The Secretary of the Care Committee reports that the Committee
met 25 times during the year. 227 cases were considered
for assessment in order to judge whether they were able to
contribute towards their institutional treatment. Of these, 138
were passed as free cases, 24 were pensioners and therefore nonassessable,
while 65 were asked to pay sums varying from 2/6
to 25/- a week. One patient was able to pay the full amount
of £2 10s. Od. a week. The total sum collected and forwarded
to the London County Council was £554 3s. Od. Apart from
the work of assessment, the Care Committee was able to assist
patients in a variety of ways:—12 families of children were
boarded out while their mother was receiving institutional treatment;
113 patients were provided with clothing; maintenance
grants were obtained from army funds for 37 pensioners; 2
patients were sent to training centres, one to a farm and one
to be instructed in splint-making; in 6 cases an ambulance was
provided to remove patients to homes for the dying; in 16 cases
convalescence was arranged for relatives of patients, in order
to help them to recuperate after the fatigue of nursing the
invalid; and in addition to these examples of specified help,
patients attend the Dispensary at all hours of the day to seek
advice and sympathetic assistance from the Care Committee.
The Handicrafts Class, now in its fourth year, is as popular
as ever, and has a most beneficial influence on the health of
the pupils. There are more candidates for admission to the
class than can be accommodated and it is hoped that, before
long, a more spacious class-room can be provided.
The Ministry of Pensions is in constant communication