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Such cases present constant difficulty to the Health Department
and I feel that some form of emergency team might be
useful for dealing with them. Such a team should be on call
whenever necessary and the basis of the organisation might be
the paid domestic help service, the Health Department, and
the voluntary organisations. Obviously the formation of
any scheme of this kind is fraught with difficulties, and it is
doubtful whether the County Council would approve of any
proposals at this juncture owing to the expense involved, but
I feel that nothing can be lost by approaching them on the
matter.
C(15) National Assistance Act 1948 Section 50
Public Burials
During the year 1950 Public Burial was carried out by the
Council under Section 50 of the National Assistance Act 1948
in two cases, details of which are given below.
Case No. 1
The person concerned, a woman aged eighty-three
years, lived entirely alone, had no living relatives, and did
not qualify for a grant under the National Insurance Act
1946 in that she was a person who was born before the year
1888.
Case No. 2
This case, a man aged seventy-seven years, was found
dead in bed at his lodgings and was reported by the Coroner's
Officer. On enquiring it was found that the man had
been receiving public assistance, was without means, had
no known relatives, and did not qualify for a grant under
the National Insurance Act, 1946, in that he was a person
born before the year 1883.
In both cases the necessary steps were taken to recover
whatever possible towards the cost of the burial.