View report page

Care of the Aged.
As I have said on many occasions before care
of the aged is assuming increasing significance year
by year. The Public Health Department is, as always,
prepared to help in every possible way, while our
Health Visitors, Home Nurses and Home Helps continue
to assist the aged by every means within their power.
As the Council may be aware, I am hoping, as
Area Medical Officer, to introduce two clinics for old
persons in the Area. Up to the present, however,
the project has had to be held up as I am extremely
anxious to ensure the full co-operation of all general
practitioners before any further steps are taken.
I have done my best to make it clear that this Old
People's Clinic will be much more social than medical.
Although simple medical examinations may be undertaken
by the Medical Officer in charge, i.e. urine testing,
sight testing, blood pressure examination, etc., no
attempt will be made to carry out any more elaborate
examinations. On the other hand, we will try to
help the old people by suggestions as to future employment,
hobbies, diet and the like. In short, our aim
will be to try to keep old people healthy, and to
obviate the need for a visit to their general practitioner.
As will be seen from what I have just said,
we should not in any way encroach on general practitioner's
preserves, but should actually help them in their work.
I have every hope that the problems which exist at
present will be resolved within the near future, and am
quite sure that we will have the goodwill of all the
general practitioners within the Urban District.
I thought it wise to commence with two clinics
only, although I have every intention of expanding this
service and of opening a third clinic in Friern Barnet, '
if the project proves successful, as we all hope it will.
I therefore mean to report further on this matter to the
Public Health Committee from time to time.
-12-