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

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East Ham 1951

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]

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60
SECTION 29 - HOME HELP SERVICE.
This socio-medical service has now crystallised into one tending to
grow bigger to serve ane xpandlng need. The appended figures demonstrate
the high proportion of old people given some dally domestic help, and the
number of aged persons in the community steadily increases. We are aware
that the provision of Home Helps to many of these gerontic households does
not always solve the problem, and to prevent considerable physical suffering
and alleviate distressing loneliness, much more must be done in many instances.
Reflections of this kind need not detract from the value of the service
at present offered, but without an awareness of the wider issues little
progress will be made to come to terms with the problem of the aged in our
midst.
In 1950, 679 applicants received varying periods of service, as
against 710 for the year under review.
It will also be noted that in 1951, 292 cases had periods of service
of between 9-12 months as compared with 205 for 1950.
Two hundred and thirty seven of the 292 applicants mentioned above were
aged persons.
The establishment of home helps approved by the Ministry of Health, as
on 31/12/51, remained the same as for the previous year, i.e. 60 full-time
or their equivalent in part-time service.
The number employed at the end of 1950, was 4 permanent (3 whole-time
and 1 part-time) and 95 registered casual helps. In addition 17 casual
helps were employed on probation, prior to registration.
Full-time helps work a 44 hour week and the maximum number of hours
permitted for the service per week, equals 60 x 44 = 2,640.

The following statistics indicate the number of hours worked (these nclude sickness, holidays and travelling time)

PeriodNo. of Hours.
4 weeksending28.1.51.8,503
4 ""25.2.51. .9,130¼
5 ""1.4.51.10,832¼
4 ""29.4.51.9,3783¾
5 ""3.6.51.10, l48¼
4 ""1.7.51.8,250¾
4 ""29.7.51. ..7.404¾
5 ""2.9.51.9,324¼
4 ""30.9.51.7,998½
4 ""28.10.51.8,501½
4 ""25.11.51.7,965½
5 ""30.12.51.9,402¾
Total106, 840½

The total hours worked during 1950 totalled 117,669, and the total
hours possible with a full establishment of 60 helps amount to 137,280.