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PERSONAL HEALTH

Loan of nirsing
equipment
Other services
The local branch of the British Red Cross Society operates a scheme for the loan of nursing equipment
on behalf of the Council. The Society collects a small hire charge from the patient to offset the
cost of replacement of equipment when necessary. If a patient is unable to meet the hire charge, this
is paid by the Council which also arranges transport where required. During the year 2,576 items of
equipment were lent to patients, including 186 wheelchairs and 22 hospital beds.
To supplement the laundry service for incontinent persons, bed linen is available on loan to those who
might otherwise be unable to take advantage of the laundry facilities.
Incontinence pads
and clothing
The Council makes free provision of incontinence pads and protective clothing in the form of waterproof
pants at the request of general practitioners and home nurses. During the year 675 patients
were provided with 86,352 pads, and 60 patients with 72 items of protective clothing.
Chiropody
This service is provided partly by the direct employment of chiropodists by the Council, and partly by
arrangement with voluntary organisations whose expenditure on chiropody is reimbursed by the
Council. The demand for this service continued to increase during the year, both for clinic treatment
and for treatment at home.
The voluntary organisations involved were the two local divisions of the British Red Cross Society,
which provided services at centres and in the patients' homes; the Southgate Social Service Council,
which provided the service in chiropodists' surgeries; and the Southgate Old People's Welfare
Committee, which provided the service at a centre and in the patients' homes. At the end of the year
the service provided by the Southgate Social Service Council was, at the request of that organisation
(which was being disbanded), transferred to the direct administration of the Health Department.
See Table <22).
22