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Monthly conferences are held at Chase Farm Hospital, under the direction of
Dr. Kelsey, when cases are presented and discussed. Health visitors, probation
officers, medical social workers and the mental welfare officers attend.
RESEARCH
An investigation into the incidence of certain types of infection in mentally
subnormal children, following evidence in recent years that certain viruses may be a
significant factor in the causation of congenital abnormalities and mental retardation,
was initiated by Professor S. D. Elek, of the Bacteriology Department of St. George's
Hospital Medical School (University of London). We agreed to co-operate in this
field of research and a number of parents of mentally handicapped children gave
consent for their children to participate.
A study of services of the mentally sub-normal, sponsored by the National
Association for Mental Health, the National Society for Mentally Handicapped
Children and the Spastics Society, is being undertaken. The Borough of Enfield
is readily participating in this study, so far as the services in its area are concerned.
(Statistical Tables, 24, 25, 26—see pages 121, 122).
HOME HELP
Under Section 29 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, a local health
authority may make arrangements for providing domestic help for households
where such help is required owing to the presence of any person who is ill, lying-in,
an expectant mother, aged, or a child not over compulsory school age within the
meaning of the Education Act, 1944.
The Council has approved a home help service setting out regulations and
priorities, including the provision of a free service for mothers suffering from
toxaemia of pregnancy, for whom it is important to ensure the early and complete
rest so essential during the ante-natal period.
Ministry of Health Circular 25/65 stressed the importance of the Home Help
Service and gave general advice on the assessment of local need, recruitment and
training of staff, charges for the service and use of a "good neighbour" scheme.
This advice was, in fact, in conformity with existing Council policy.
The home help service makes a valuable contribution to the health and welfare
of the community and for the foreseeable future the demand is likely to be greater
year by year. Recruitment of home helps has continued to be difficult this year
and has not kept pace with the demands on the service. Although help was very
seldom unavailable, the number of hours able to be offered to individual cases
sometimes fell short of requirements.
In addition to the Home Help Organiser, her Deputy and two Assistant Home
Help Organisers, the number of home helps employed at the end of the year was
123.65 whole-time equivalent compared with the full establishment of 160, but for
the greater part of the year the number employed was much lower than the end
of the year figure.
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