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Post Hospital Rehabilitation
Arrangements for the maintenance of tuberculous patients from the Borough who,
on the recommendation of chest physicians, undergo courses of training and colonisation
at village settlements, e.g. British Legion Village, Nr. Maidstone, Kent, Papworth
Settlement, near Cambridge, and El Alamein Village, Nr. Andover.
At the end of 1965, two such patients were at the British Legion Village.
Hostel Accommodation
Arrangements for the maintenance in hostel accommodation was provided by the
former London County Council for homeless infective tuberculous men. This
accommodation is in three hostels in London, now run by the Hammersmith, Islington
and Lambeth Borough Councils respectively and. for ex-servicemen only, at the
British Legion Village. It is intended for men with active or unstable tuberculous
disease who do not require immediate hospital treatment or nursing but whose
condition would be adversly affected by their living in lodging-houses where, also,
they might be a public health risk. At the end of 1965, the Council was responsible
for the cost of maintenance of five men in this accommodation.
Chest Clinics—Services based on the chest clinics are as follows:—
(a) Home care—The Council's tuberculosis visitors see patients in their homes
to advise on diet, hygiene etc., to ascertain home conditions and needs, and to persuade
contacts to attend the clinic. The total number of visits in the 9 months 1.4.65—
31.12.65 was 4,363.
(b) Home Nurses—These are provided under the domiciliary nursing service to
give patients nursing attention under the direction of the family doctor or chest
physician. 5 patients were receiving such attention at the end of 1965. Nursing
equipment, e.g. backrests, is made available on loan where necessary.
(c) Home Helps—The Council's home helps are employed in the homes of
bedfast patients and to care for children of mothers undergoing treatment. The
number of patients receiving this service at the end of the year was 35.
(d) Contacts—Boarding-out of child contacts is arranged where necessary
to protect them from infection by tuberculosis in their own homes or to enable
their parents to undergo treatment in hospital. One child was boarded out at 31st
December, 1965.
(e) Provision of Extra Nourishment (milk, butter, eggs) for necessitous patients
on the recommendation of the chest physician. At the end of 1965, 100 patients
were receiving this service from the Council or from the voluntary chest care committees.
(f) Handicraft Classes—are held for patients able to attend the chest clinics,
the instructor being provided by the local evening institute. Patients confined to
their homes are given instruction by a visiting occupational therapist employed
by the Council. At the end of 1965, 27 patients were attending classes but no patients
were receiving instruction in their own homes.
Voluntary Chest Clinic Care Committees—A voluntary care committee operates in
association with each of the two chest clinics. The constitution of these committees,
originally prescribed by the London County Council, has been revised to bring it up to
date. During the year these committees have continued their valuable work of
assisting patients and their families financially or in other ways where help was not
available from official sources. The Council's chest clinic welfare officers act as
secretaries to the committees.
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