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ADVICE BY MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Medical advice from the Health Department is sought by other departments of
he local authority for a variety of reasons including the health of children and
idults, hygiene matters in Council establishments, and environmental factors
.fleeting health.
Advice to Social Services Department
(a) Adoption
Medical assessments of children for adoption in 1971 40
including:
Number examined by family doctor 7
Number examined by hospital paediatrician 2
Number examined by local authority doctor 31
Medical examinations of prospective adopters 86
Investigations into medical records of hospitals and family doctors
on natural parents, and preliminary enquiries with medical
histories of prospective adopters 67
All assessments and reports are scrutinised by a Principal Medical Officer
who advises the adoption sub-committee on all medical aspects of
adoption.
(b) Fostering
Medical examinations of children prior to fostering 22
Medical reports on prospective foster parents 71
Reports and assessments are scrutinised by a Principal Medical Officer
who advises the Director of Social Services on medical aspects of fostering.
(c) Recuperative Holidays
In the nine-month period since the responsibility for arranging recuperative
holidays has been that of the Social Services Department, advice on
medical recommendations has been provided in 280 cases.
(d) In addition, advice has been given on a regular day to day basis to
individual social workers on medical matters, as well as to establishments,
e.g. children's homes and day nurseries on matters of health and hygiene.
All children in the Council's day nurseries are examined regularly by a
medical officer of the Health Department, and visits to residential establishments
and to individual homes in the community are made by medical
officers, health visitors and public health inspectors as required, at the
request of the Director of Social Services.
Advice to Housing Department
All medical reports regarding applications for rehousing on medical grounds
are received and scrutinised by a Senior Medical Officer, who makes an assessment
of the need and advises the Housing Department on the appropriate
number of "points" to be awarded in this respect. In cases of urgent medical
need for rehousing, a "special medical recommendation" may be made. Assessments
made for "pointing" on medical grounds.
(i) applicants for housing 35 per week (average);
(ii) applicants for transfer 20 per week (average).
i.e. a total of 3,000 per annum.
Special Medical Recommendations made 1971: 128.
30