View report page

elimination of stairs and steps. Simple easily managed flatlets will be needed for the increasing
number of elderly people who, in such an environment, are capable of living an existence independent
of many of the services of the welfare state.
In the Station Road flatlets where many elderly people live alone, only a small percentage
of the occupants are using the services of Home Help, District Nurse or Health Visitor at any one
time.
Good progress was made during the year in the rehousing of occupants of unfit properties
except in the case of single persons or married couples requiring single bedroom accommodation.
There appears to be a great shortage of Council-owned accommodation of this type and the
number of these persons awaiting rehousing from unfit properties continues to grow.
During the year the number of cases of food poisoping showed an increase but this increase
may be due to better notification because early in the year at the suggestion of the Ministry of
Health attention was drawn to the value of full and prompt notification of this disease.
I have included an extract from the report of the Hendon Old People's Housing Society and
the report of the Chairman of the Borough of Hendon Old People's Welfare Committee with its story
of the Chiropody Service.
I would like to thank the members of the Committee for their support and encouragement and
also the members of the staff for their loyal and conscientious service during the year.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. PATTON,
Medical Officer of Health.
5