View report page

Tuberculosis Dispensaries.
45
(c.) Provision of open air shelters. (Seven such shelters
—the property of the Borough Council—have been in almost
continuous use during the year).
(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.
(f.) The provision of financial assistance to the family
or patient.
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 247 patients
(adults and children), the amount collected and remitted to the
London County Council being £1,034 13s. 2d. The amounts of
such assessments are subject to the approval of the County
Council.
In addition to the patients visited by the Tuberculosis
Visitors, 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 are provided on loan to
necessitous cases. Miss Hill, on behalf of the Committee, has
kept in touch with the Dispensary patients in St. James' Hospital,
Balham. 79 of these cases have been visited regularly
during the year, and such visits are greatly appreciated by
the patients.
Articles of clothing have been supplied to patients in need
of them ; especially to the patients about to enter residential
institutions.
Further efforts were made during the year to raise funds
for the maintenance of beds for advanced cases of Tuberculosis