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33
rehabilitation service for the elderly sick, under the control of the
hospital authority, designed to return as many as possible to a reasonably
normal and independent way of life.
In the minority report both I myself and the divisional medical
officer of the LCC expressed doubt as to the majority report's opinion
on the likely demand for beds for the chronic sick. In my view there
would need to be an increase in the beds provided for these patients to
a figure of about 260, this figure being based on a survey undertaken by
the Ministry of Health and on the experience of surrounding areas. I
further suggested that it was highly desirable that all the hospital
services for old people should be under the unified control of a
geriatrician of consultant status and that this should be brought about
and consolidated by the creation of a geriatric unit for the group.
I understand that the Lewisham Group Hospital Management
Committee accepted the majority report and agreed that the possibility
of setting up a rehabilitation service should be explored.