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45
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
(c) Provision of open air shelters. Two such shelters—the
property of the Borough Council—have been in almost continuous
use during the year. More, if available, could have been utilised.
(d) Removal of patient to friends and relatives in the country.
(e) The care of children and of the home during the absence
of the mother or housewife.
The local representative of the Invalid Children's Aid Association
has given much help by arranging for such children to be
boarded out in the country; and the Care Committee is generally
able to arrange for someone to look after the home whilst the
mother is undergoing institutional treatment.
(f) The provision of financial assistance to the family or
patient.
When the necessity for such assistance arises, it can generally
be provided through the agency of existing charitable and public
organisations. In this direction the representatives of the Board
of Guardians and the Charity Organisation Society have rendered
valuable help.
The Care Committee, however, has a small fund of its own,
and is able to give financial assistance in special cases of an urgent
or temporary nature:—
e.g. Payment of patient's railway fare to or from Sanatorium.
Provision of paid assistance during the absence of mother.
Cost of advertising for employment.
Cost of training in new employment, etc.
When a patient is accepted by the London County Council for
treatment in a residential institution under the Council's Scheme,
the Care Committee investigates the financial circumstances of the
family in order to determine what sum can be contributed by the
family towards the cost of the treatment. During the year the
Committee has undertaken the assessment and collection of contributions
in the cases of some 250 patients (adults and children),
the amount collected and remitted to the London County Council
being £570. The amounts of such assessments are subject to the
approval of the County Council.
In addition to the patients visited by the Tuberculosis Visitors,
36 advanced cases have been visited regularly at their own homes by
members of the Care Committee. Medical and Nursing requisites,
e.g., water beds, air and water cushions, bed rests, feeding cups, etc.,
have been acquired by the Committee gradually, and these articles