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PERSONAL HEALTI-
Adaptation of Homes
to Install Artificial
Kidney Machines
Under this scheme holidays were arranged for 55 adults.
There is increasing use of artificial kidney machines in patients' homes in
the treatment of chronic renal failure.
Hospital authorities provide and maintain the intermittent haemodialysis
equipment and provide the relevant medical services. They also pay for
the extra cost of electricity and for the installation and rental of a telephone
where this is necessary. They have not, however, powers to make adaptations
to the home and, in 1968, the Minister of Health approved the making
of arrangements by all local health authorities for these purposes and also
the making of reasonable charges.
A patient being treated in this way requires a room with space for a single
bed and the dialysis equipment, and a sink with a good supply of water.
The walls and ceiling of the room should be made crack-free and washable,
and the floor covering should be waterproof. Special storage space for
one month's supply of sterile dressings and of containers of concentrated
fluids are required, together possibly with special electric wiring and plumbing.
In some cases it may be necessary to build an extension to the house.
During the year, applications were made by hospitals in four cases for
adaptations to be made to patients' homes for this purpose, including one
instance requiring the construction of an extension to the rear of the house.
The necessary work was authorised in each case.
Hypothermia
Circular 19/70, received in November from the Department of Health and
Social Security, reminded local authorities of the need to take preventive
measures in regard to accidental hypothermia with particular reference to
the elderly.
The necessary measures to ensure full co-ordination of voluntary and
statutory agencies to give practical help in this regard were taken in 1968;
a circular was issued reminding all concerned of the arrangements.
No instances of morbidity or mortality due to hypothermia were reported.
Fluoridation of Public
Water Supplies
There has been no significant change in the position since my previous
reports.
It appears that artificial fluoridation of public water supplies, which is
favoured by the Council, will not come about until all the local authorities
in the area supplied by the water undertakings reach agreement, or unti
a decision is made by the Government to be implemented nationally.
The General Public
Health Education
Lectures to groups of members of the general public were given by the
Health Education Officer and public health inspectors on the following
subjects : prevention of home accidents (22 talks); diet (12); food hygiene
(11); maintaining good health (3); cancer (2); the work of the Health
Department (2); foot care (1); and atmospheric pollution (1).
The Department's display at the Enfield Show was on the subject of smoking.
Whole-day displays on home accidents were on two occasions arranged at
church halls.
Slimmers advisory centres, to which reference is made elsewhere in this
report, were started at two clinics by the health visitors. A Mothers' Club,
oriented towards health education, continued to meet fortnightly under the
sponsorship of health visitors. An anti-smoking clinic and club met weekly
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