London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Leyton 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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85
In 1946 the service was inaugurated with an approved administrative
staff of one clerk and one temporary case visitor. Since
that time it has been necessary to effect changes in that staff to
meet emergencies as they have arisen.
There is at present no separate accommodation available for
the domestic help service, and both domestic helpers and applicants
for help have to be interviewed in a passageway. Such interviews
entail the giving and receipt of information of a confidential and
strictly domestic nature, and applicants for help are entitled to
expect some privacy when being interviewed.
I therefore recommended that suitable office accommodation
be provided as soon as possible for the Domestic Help Service—
one room for the Domestic Help Organiser and one room for the
Clerk.
Summary of Cases Helped during 1949.
The following figures show in brief outline the relevant particulars regarding cases helped during the year :—
| Maternity. | Other. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases dealt with | 168 | 214 | 382 |
| Help supplied : | |||
| (a) Full-time | ... 118 | 16 | 134 |
| (b) Part-time | ... 50 | 198 | 248 |
The following list shows the disabilities from which the 382 applicants were suffering and the number of cases in each category that were helped during the year :—
| Disability. | No. of Cases. |
|---|---|
| Maternity | 168 |
| General debility | 24 |
| Post operative debility | 18 |
| Heart disease | 22 |
| Bronchitis | 17 |
| Arthritis | 15 |
| Senility | 13 |
| Cerebral haemorrhage | 12 |