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During the year, 2,294 cases were provided with domestic help and of these
1,587 were aged 65 years or over. Of those under 65 years of age, 249 were
maternity lying-in cases, 159 were chronic sick, 7 were tuberculous, 4 were mentally
disordered, and 288 were miscellaneous, such as post-operative hospital discharged,
ante-natal, and acute illness.
Family Help Service
This service provides specially selected home helps to do work of a specialised
nature with problem families, and the home helps are paid at a special rate. Five
families were assisted under this scheme during the year.
Neighbourly Help Scheme
This is a scheme whereby neighbours are employed to provide limited domestic
help to those in need. The neighbourly help is expected to keep a friendly eye on
the patient and undertake or help with certain household duties such as lighting
fires, preparing meals, shopping and cleaning. The scheme has not met with great
success. Many prefer to be truly neighbourly and give their service free of charge,
while others are unwilling to accept the responsibility.
Every effort is made to foster the scheme, thereby easing a little the strain
on home help staff resources.
During the year, four families received assistance and four neighbourly helps
were enrolled under this scheme.
Training Courses
The Home Help Organiser attended a Residential Summer School for Home
Help Organisers during the year.
(Statistical Table 27—see page 122).
TEN-YEAR PLAN FOR HEALTH SERVICES
In accordance with Ministry of Health Circular 14/65, a Ten-Year Plan outlining
the proposed development of their Health Services from 1st April, 1966, to
31st March, 1976, was approved by the Council on the 21st December.
Plans for the London Borough of Enfield were, of course, included in the
original general plan formulated by the Middlesex County Council in 1962 and
revised in 1963. The present ten-year plan is the first to be specifically related
to Enfield as an independent Local Health Authority.
Due regard has been paid to previous proposals involving the London Borough
of Enfield and various official bodies were informed of anticipated proposals. It
is felt that the plan provides an outline for a balanced development of the personal
health services in Enfield over the next ten years.
The Borough is fortunate in having a good number of excellent modern
maternity and child welfare clinics throughout its area and the plan provides
for the completion of the necessary provision in this direction. Negotiations are
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