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the refusal of the Minister of Health to sanction any expansion what
soever. To many, this appears a short-sighted policy since a small
expenditure on foot care for elderly people may well reduce the numbers
of those who eventually need the scarce and expensive places in hostels
or hospitals for the chronic sick.
The lack of beds for even seriously ill aged sick persons means
that many have to be cared for at home with inadequate resources and
at the cost of almost intolerable strain on relatives. During the year
the County Council gave authority for a scheme to provide "night
attendants" to sit up with such patients and thus give relatives some
respite, but it was not found possible to find suitable volunteers for
these arduous duties at the standard rate of 7s 6d.. per night. I expect
to report more favourably next year, however.
Mention has been made earlier of the Borough Council's laundry
scheme for incontinent chronic sick, another service which has proved
a boon to relatives caring for such patients.
Since he "appointed day" the County's tuberculosis services have
been decentralised to Health Area Sub-Committees, and today include
the provision of extra nourishment (1 pint of milk per day), loan of
garden shelters, boarding out of child contacts, and rehabilitation at
such Village Settlements as Enham-Alamein (Andover) and Papworth
(Nr. Cambridge) and the British Legion Village at Maidstone. You
also share with Dagenham the services of an occupational therapist
who goes into the homes of cases confined to bed to provide valuable
remedial and diversional handicrafts. The therapist works in close
liaison with the Chest Physician and only undertakes cases with his
approval.
Valuable help is also given to tubercular patients by the Barking
Tuberculosis After Care Committee. This Committee is a voluntary
organisation which, in addition to raising funds by its own efforts,
receives a grant from the Essex County Council.
domestic help service
The Domestic Help Service in Barking was originated by the
Borough Council in 1943 when three part-time helps were appointed
to attend home confinement cases. The following year the scheme was
extended to cover illnesses of expectant and nursing mothers and
children under 5 years of age, and demands on this service were such
that for a period of about 2 years you paid private helps to attend
cases where the Council's home help was not available. During 1946
the first full-time home helps were appointed and in the following
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