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42
The amount that would have to be raised from the local rates will be about
£300 a year, after deducting the sum received from the Insurance Committee for
the treatment of insured persons.
The Tuberculosis Officer would call at the Public Health Offices every
morning and ascertain the names of the persons notified, &c. He will superintend
the duties of the Nurses and examine those contacts who are unable to come to the
dispensary.
The Nurses, in addition to visiting the homes and supplying the Medical
Officers of the dispensaries with all particulars as to the home conditions, &c., will
attend at the dispensaries when necessary and be at the service of the Voluntary
dispensaries.
The present dispensaries only deal with a third of the notified cases in the
borough. As it will be necessary in future to deal with all cases of Tuberculosis, the
nursing staff of the dispensaries would naturally have to be increased, but this
would be obviated by the assistance of the four Nurses suggested to be appointed
by the Borough Council. In this way the dispensaries will be brought in close
touch with the Public Health Department.
•
The salaries of three nurses, as well as one-half of the salary of one of their
Medical Officers if he were appointed Chief Tuberculosis Officer of the Borough,
would be saved to the Voluntary Dispensaries. This would raise the subsidy to the
three Voluntary Dispensaries from £850 to £940 a year. There should, however, be
representation on the Committees of the Voluntary Dispensaries.
Arrangements will have also to be made for the payment to special hospitals
outside the borough for the treatment of patients residing in the Borough who
have applied at such hospitals for treatment. This will not be done indiscriminately,
and payment will not be made unless the patient has a card from the
Public Health Department authorising him to apply for such treatment. These
cards will act as vouchers.
We should require the following from the four dispensaries:—
(a) To examine and give medical treatment to persons residing in the
borough found to be suffering from definite Tuberculosis and to
examine the " contacts."
(b) To supply all information and reports that are reasonably required.
(c) To give free access to the records of the dispensary.
(id) To undertake the after-care of sanatoria cases when requested, and
to examine patients who may be sent to the dispensary by private
medical practitioners.