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is acute sick, maternity cases, tuberculosis and chronic sick and aged. Nevertheless,
over 75% of those helped were old people. Payment is based on the patient's
resources and ranges from no charge to 4s. 9d. per hour. The object of the service is
to supplement assistance available from relatives, etc., and to tide patients over in
emergency rather than supply permanent domestic help. During the year the night
service was continued. Attendance is from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. and the duties of the
helper consist of sitting with and giving general care to the patient. This has proved
most valuable.
Applications for the services of either a day or night home help should be made,
accompanied by a medical certificate, to the Medical Officer of Health, Town Hall
Annexe, Ealing, W.5.
Family Help Scheme
This service is designed to deal with three categories of cases.
(1) The family help takes the place of the mother in her absence, assumes
responsibility for the home, the children and the finances and resides at
the home.
(2) The family help takes the place of the mother in her absence, assumes
responsibility for the home, the children and the finances in the day time
only, but is non-resident. The father or other relative takes over at night.
(3) The family help is employed for some part of the day to assist and advise
the mother who, although resident with her family, requires to be taught
how to manage her household affairs and to budget sensibly.
The total number of cases dealt with during the year was 2 and this has been made
up as follows:
In category (1) Nil
In category (2) Nil
In category (3) 2
A charge is made on a weekly basis according to the applicant's income and
expenditure.
Applications for the service should be made to the Children's Officer, 26 Castlebar
Road, W.5.
Good Neighbour Scheme
This service is to help cases that require attention outside the normal Home Help
hours of duty. The Home Help who acts as a good neighbour attends a patient without
fixed times so that assistance is given when needed. The Good Neighbour is paid
according to the time involved up to a maximum of £2 a week the full charge to the
patient being the same amount paid to the Good Neighbour but this can be reduced
if the patient is unable to meet the full sum. At the moment we have seven Good
Neighbours. It will be appreciated that it is not a job which is taken on lightly,
implying as it does considerable responsibility for the patient. It also means that the
Good Neighbour commits herself to being available during evenings and nights.
The scheme has proved most helpful in cases where a suitable Good Neighbour who
lives nearby has been prepared to undertake this work.
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