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from Thursday, 28th July, to Thursday, 11th August, 1949. The
Ministry of Health approved the course as suitable for a refresher
course for health visitors, and also approved payments made by
Local Health Authorities, in their capacity as such, of the expenses
of persons attending the School who are engaged on the services of
the Authority under Part III, National Health Service Act, 1946,
to be recognised by the Ministry of Health for the purposes of a
grant under the Act.
With the approval of the Chairman of the Committee, arrangements
were made for Miss M. H. Roger, a health visitor in this
area, to attend the above Summer School.
SECTION 29
DOMESTIC HELP.
The scope of the Service has been widened considerably since
its initiation, and help is now provided in the following types of
case :—
The mother who is being confined at home, or the mother
discharged from a maternity hospital after the minimum period
of lying-in, is relieved of her household duties during that
time. In other cases of illness, where hospital treatment is
not available or suitable, necessary domestic assistance is
supplied.
Applications from tuberculosis patients are now increasing
owing to the lack of sanatorium accommodation ; and after
discharge from sanatorium or hospital such patients, if women,
should be given help in resuming their household duties inasmuch
as some are permanently incapacitated. These persons
would rather remain with their families than seek further
institutional treatment, and it is in these cases that the
Domestic Help Service could render valuable help.
There are also the cases of people who have been unfortunate
enough to have suffered from an accident. We had
one case recently of a woman who fell downstairs and was
bedridden for two weeks as a result of this accident. In such
cases it is necessary to supply the service with the shortest
possible delay.