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26
TUBERCULOSIS AFTER-CARE
I am indebted to Miss Bridger, Almoner of the Chest Clinic
for the following reports: -
As in previous years, official and voluntary resources have
combined to help the patients in as many ways as possible.
Basically, financial needs have been met by the special
grants available through the National Assistance Boards and
close and very helpful contact has been maintained between the
Almoner's Department and officers of the Board in the interests
of the patients. Again, the local authority has helped with the
loan of beds and bedding, free milk in some instances, maintenance
in colonies, the provision of garden shelters, an expanding
and very much appreciated scheme of occupational therapy for
home bound patients, and recuperative holidays where these have
been medically recommended.
The promise of voluntary help foreshadowed in last year's
report, has been fulfilled on a larger scale than even the most
optimistic had hoped. This year, the Croydon Tuberculosis Care
Committee found themselves in a position to finance the programme
outlined in last year's report. The Care Committee's financial
year begins on April 1st but in the twelve months covered by
this report something like £500 has been spent on such items as
Christmas grocery parcels, coal for patients at home, fares for
patients' relatives to visit them, holidays and clothing. The
Committee also paid for a party of children to be taken to the
pantomime at Christmas time. Of the items mentioned, the largest
expenditure was £100 on groceries and £125 on holidays. At the
same time, we had to keep in mind the necessity for continuing
to raise funds to enable us to continue spending on this scale,
or better still, on a larger scale. We are most grateful to His
Worship the Mayor for allowing us to have a Flag Day, which benefitted
the funds by some £187, and other fund raising activities
brought our total income to something like £350 during this
period. The balance of expenditure was met from the £1,500 raised
previously. It is worth stressing that every penny raised by this
Committee comes from voluntary sources, and that all the money
is raised locally, and more important still, spent directly to
the benefit of local people.
By the end of 1956, we had, after much negotiation, received
authority to take part in the 1957 Christmas Seal Sale, sponsored
by the National Association for Prevention of Tuberculosis from
which the majority of Care Committees derive the bulk of their