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All these cases involved severe illness in circumstances which showed
clearly that ill health was due to housing conditions or that effective treatment
could not be attempted without prior rehousing.
Medical representations were submitted from 1 in 15 of all applicants on
the active housing waiting list, priority being sought on grounds of some
specific illness. The list of conditions above shows that every category of
sickness was represented. It is to be understood that allowance is made in the
housing "points system* for overcrowding, sharing premises and for lack of/
sharing sanitary facilities before an application is referred for consideration
on health grounds.
It is not my purpose to comment on each type of illness for which the
varying proportions of recommendations were made. The first four heart.chest,
crippling conditions and strokes: relate in the main to those in later life who
can no longer cope with innumerable stairs, steep hills and other physical
obstacles within the home and its location.
DRUG DEPENDENCY
The informal advisory committee established in 1967 of representatives
of statutory and voluntary organisations concerned with this problem
met again under the Chairmanship of the Medical Officer of Health. The
general position in Croydon was deemed unchanged, with no special prevalence
but the continued dangers which threaten all urban areas. A further
inter-disciplinary in-service training session for professional staffs was
held in the Denning Hall when Dr. Dale-Beckett was the principal speaker
with the Chief Education Officer in the Chair.
As agreed by the advising committee a small group which included
consumer representatives considered a pamphlet designed by the Principal
Health Education Officer for issue to all school leavers. This pamphlet
dealt with general health topics but mentioned the youth counselling service
of the Croydon Guild of Social Service and the Corporation's Drug
Advisory Centre.
The project made good progress and distribution at Easter 1971 was
anticipated.
Support was also given to a scheme proposed by Dr. Dale-Beckett of
recruiting and training young adults (18-24 years of age) to staff an advisory
centre for adolescents (14-17). This was still at an early stage
during the year under review.
The Senior Psychiatric Social Worker concerned with the Corporation's
Drug Advisory Centre reported 30 referrals during 1970 (26 in the previous
24 months). During the second half of the year, 9 out of 10 referrals were
under 25 years of age, and 6 were under 21 years of age. Most referrals
were from family doctors and of all who came to the centre about 25% were
involved with "hard" drugs.