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39
CONVALESCENCE
The Corporation accepts financial responsibility for convalescence
recommended by general practitioners. Each patient
recommended must have had a definite illness or accident and
must go to a recognised Convalescent Home. The Corporation recovers
part or all the cost according to the income of the
patient and in accordance with a definite assessment scale.
Certain patients may receive convalescent treatment free, including
Old Age Pensioners. Every effort is made to suit the
patient to the particular Home, as different Homes cater for
different age groups and different kinds of medical or surgical
condition.
During the year 38 cases were so dealt with, 27 women, 10
men and 1 child under 5 years. There were in addition, 9 cases
where the patients cancelled their applications after the arrangements
had been made.
These figures include the Surrey Urban District of Coulsdon
and Purley as from the 1st April 1965, they do not include
children for whom arrangements are made by the Education
Committee.
HOME HELP SERVICE
Difficulties in recruiting Supervisors and Home Helps persisted.
Owing to these and delays in completion of adaptations
to the rooms in the basement flat at St. James's Road, it was
not possible to begin the in-service training school for Home
Helps. One very encouraging factor emerged from a new approach
to staff recruitment, applied towards the end of the year.
Stress was laid on the vocational aspect of this work, and the
fact that it transcends mere domestic duties. Response was
coming from a new section of the community, raising hopes that
long standing vacancies might be filled. The value of a training
scheme was emphasised and I anticipate being able to report upon
its success in a future report.
For details of work carried out see Appendix page 118.