London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Bromley 1967

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]

This page requires JavaScript

38
CHIROPODY
During the year 1967, the service grew quite considerably.
The total number of domiciliary treatments given was 8,287 and a
further 15,746 surgery treatments brought the grand total to 24,033
treatments, an increase of 2,572 over the figure for the previous
year. A further 1,819 treatments were also provided for residents
in the Borough's residential homes. Five clinics are at present used
and these were augmented by the use of 26 private contractual
Chiropodists' surgeries.
Persons eligible for treatment under this authority's scheme
include women over the age of 60 years, men over 65 years of age,
registered physically handicapped persons, and expectant and
nursing mothers. It has not yet been financially possible to include
school children under the scheme. Patients are normally seen at a
clinic or surgery, but if there is medical need then domiliciary
treatment is provided.
MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR LONG-STAY
IMMIGRANTS
Arrangements to cover the special problems which arise in
connection with the health and treatment of long-stay immigrants
to this country have been laid down by the Ministry of Health.
During the year 159 persons were notified to the department
and 97 successfully visited. This not infrequently involved more
than one visit. Some persons were not known at the addresses
given and others, despite repeated visits, had not been contacted
by the end of the year.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948, SECTION 47
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1951
Under this section of the Act as amended by the National
Assistance (Amendment) Act, 1951, powers are given to the local
authority for the compulsory removal of persons suffering from
grave chronic disease, or who are aged, infirm or physically handicapped
and who are living in insanitary conditions and unable to
devote to themselves and not receiving from other persons proper
care and attention.
Although several cases were visited and investigated during
the year it was not found necessary in any instance to apply for a
removal order as, with the assistance of other interested bodies we
were able to effect some improvement in the conditions found to
exist.