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in need of care and attention to a welfare home or hospital. Seven clear
days notice of an intended application must be given but the National
Assistance (Amendment) Act 1951 permits immediate removal provided
the Medical Officer of Health and another registered medical practitioner
certify that it is in the interest of the person to remove him without delay.
Under the Amendment Act the period for which a person can be detained
in the first instance is three weeks. These Acts are usually invoked in the
case of a person who (a) is suffering from grave chronic disease or, being
aged, infirm or physically incapacitated, is living in insanitary conditions
and (b) is unable to devote to himself and is not receiving from others
proper care and attention.
In practice, every effort is made to solve the problem by using the
home help service, the home nursing service and the help provided by
voluntary bodies, etc. and only invoking action under the Acts as a last
resort when everything else has failed.
It was not found necessary to take action under this Section of the Act
during the year.
Medical Arrangements for Long-Stay Immigrants
Long stay immigrants are often very unfamiliar with our customs and,
in particular, ignorant of the scope and arrangements of the National
Health Service. Accordingly at ports of arrival they are given a hand-out
printed in languages which they are likely to understand, the aim of which
is to encourage them to get on to the list of a medical practitioner in their
place of residence. Destination addresses are also forwarded to the health
department so that they can be visited to try and persuade them to act on
the advice given in the pamphlet. Special emphasis is placed in trying to
secure a chest X-Ray as soon as possible after their arrival in this country

All addresses were visited and in 32 cases no knowledge of immigrants
was known.