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1. To provide residential accommodation for persons who by reason
of age, infirmity or other circumstances are in need of care and attention
not otherwise available to them.
2. To provide temporary accommodation for persons who are in
urgent need thereof (their need arising in circumstances which could not
reasonably have been foreseen or in such other circumstances as the
County Council might in any particular case determine).
3. To make arrangements for promoting the welfare of persons
who are blind, deaf or dumb and other persons who are substantially
and permanently handicapped by illness, injury, congenital deformity
or such other disabilities as may be prescribed by the Minister of Health.
The Act also places on the County Council certain duties in relation
to the registration of homes for disabled and old persons, and in relation
to the temporary protection of the movable property of certain persons.
These duties are the concern of the Welfare Department. For
administrative purposes the county is divided into the same ten areas as
for the County Council functions under Part III of the National Health
Service Act. Acting under the supervision of the Chief Welfare Officer
for the county there is a Welfare Officer in each area. The one for this
district is Mr. H. G. Plummer, Kynaston Court, Boxtree Road, Harrow
Weald.
Under Section 21 (1) (a) of the National Assistance Act the County
Council is required to provide residential accommodation for persons
who by reason of age, infirmity or any other circumstances are in need
of care or attention which is not otherwise available to them. The
Ministry of Health advised that this would not include sick persons
needing treatment in hospital, but would comprise a wide range of
elderly, infirm, disabled or subnormal people who were unable to look
after themselves in their own homes and could not obtain from relatives,
friends or others the care and attention they required. The residential
accommodation was to be a substitute for a normal home, meeting all
reasonable needs of the residents including clothing, extra comforts in
the shape of tobacco and sweets which a resident may be unable to
provide himself out of his own resources, and amenities and services
such as recreational facilities, books and periodicals and opportunities
for religious worship. The residents are required to pay for their accommodation.
If they have sufficient means they pay the standard charge.
In any event they pay a minimum prescribed by the Minister. If necessary
the National Assistance Board make them an allowance sufficient
to enable them to pay this and still retain a prescribed amount for personal
requirements.
In July, 1953, the County Council had 31 homes with some 1,500
beds. Another 1,000 persons were being maintained in homes run by
voluntary organisations, or by other local authorities. Except for two
former Public Assistance institutions these homes are large private houses,
or hotels which have been adapted to provide residential accommodation.
Enforced Removal. Apart from the powers possessed by the
hospital boards or by the local health authorities to help persons in need
of care and attention, the local sanitary authority has been given powers