London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ealing 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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20. HOME HELP SERVICE
The Home Help Service is provided by the Council under Section 29 of the
National Health Service Act. Four types of service are provided:-
(1) The Standard Service
This provides help in acute illness, at home confinements, for tuberculosis
cases, and for the chronic sick and aged. The major part of the case load
is composed of the chronic sick.
(2) Family Help Service
This is to support the family when the mother is either temporarily absent
from home, or due to inadequacy or some other reason is unable to cope
with her family duties. The family help service may be residential or nonresidential.
(3) The Good Neighbour Service
This is an arrangement by which regular help is given by a neighbour working
under the Home Help scheme.
(4) The Night Service
This operates from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. to give relief to the family of seriously
ill patients.
The case load of the service during the year was as follows:-
| Types of patients assisted | No. |
|---|---|
| Chronic sick, aged and tuberculosis | 2,477 |
| Maternity | 241 |
| Others | 210 |
| Family help | 4 |
The establishment of home helps is 260 which is partly filled by 369 part-time
and 11 full-time staff to give an equivalent of 241 full-time home helps.
In my report last year I outlined the re-organisation of the service which had
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