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27
TUBERCULOSIS AFTER-CARE
The year 1957 has been a very busy one from the point of
view of tuberculosis after-care. Despite the continued decrease
in the number of deaths, there are still very many patients and
their families who need considerable help from all possible
sources to enable them to face what is still a long period of
treatment, readjustment and rehabilitation. Most of these
problems can be solved by co-operation with the many statutory
authorities whose job it is to provide these services. Special
grants are arranged through the National Assistance Board to
maintain the home while the patient is ill, and the Ministry of
Labour Training Centre and Industrial Rehabilitation Unit at
Waddon are invaluable in helping to place disabled patients in
suitable work as soon as they are fit.
However comprehensive official schemes may be, there is
always room for voluntary help and in this sphere development
has been most marked. The Croydon Tuberculosis Care Committee
were able to help patients to a degree and in a manner quite
beyond the scope of any Government sponsored scheme. For
instance, close on 200 patients received a Christmas grocery
parcel, bought from voluntary funds and packed and distributed
by voluntary effort, and a party of children enjoyed a visit to
the pantomime at the Committee's expense. The winter programme
included gifts of coal to 73 families as well as warm clothing
and shoes mainly for the children. The holiday programme increased
in popularity and consequently in expense, but as 35
people were enabled to have the first holiday they had enjoyed
during many years of illness it was £220 well spent. In addition,
the closing of Coombe Wood Hospital meant that patients had to
so further afield for part of their treatment so that help with
fares to visit was especially welcome. In all, over £650 was
spent on supplementing official provision for the welfare of the
Patients.
It is even more gratifying to report that almost £800 was
raised during the year by voluntary effort, over £500 of which
came from our share in the Christmas Seal Sale, sponsored by the
National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis. The
beginning of 1958 finds us therefore, confident of being able to
help Croydon T. B. patients in a manner worthy of a County
Borough of this size.