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Aids and appliances of all kinds were supplied to the handicapped and statistical
details are given on page 55.
Some very interesting adaptations were carried out during the year to both Council and
private property. One handicapped person was virtually a prisoner in her front room. Owing to
her disability it took her about 10 minutes to wheel herself to the front door to answer a knock.
There were steps in the middle of the passage and out into the garden and the outside toilet was
inaccessible to her. Structural alterations were carried out which removed the steps inside the
houses, ramps were laid to the garden from the lounge door and inside access was given to the
toilet. Arrangements were made for her to have an electric indoor chair and her life has been
made much easier and happier. Many similar cases could be quoted.
Holidays for the blind and physically handicapped were arranged at seaside camps and
guest houses and even the most severely disabled were catered for. Many appreciative letters
were received from those who had not been away for many years as well as from those who had
had this happy experience before.
The exhibition and sale of handcrafts held at Ross Wyld Hall in October was a great
success. The exhibitors were the blind, the physically handicapped and the mentally handicapped.
The work was of a very high standard and total sales amounted to £292.
Car badges for disabled drivers enabling them to park in normally restricted areas
providing no obstruction is caused, continued to be issued.
CONCLUSION
This brief survey of the work with the old and the physically handicapped would not be
complete without acknowledgements of the excellent voluntary service rendered by residents of
the Borough as private citizens and by the Voluntary Organisations.
B.A.Warshaw
Chief Welfare Officer
Dental Services
It will be seen from the statistics on page 85 that the Department has not provided
as much treatment as in 1965. This is largely due to the continual problem of staff shortages and
changes. It is also partly due to staff absences through illness.
I am glad, however, to report that the ratio of fillings to extractions is over 3.5 to 1.
We received a visit from a Dental Officer of the Department of Education and Science in
March. He spent two days inspecting the clinics and talking to as many dental officers and
auxiliaries as were on duty. He made a number of recommendations, one being that "the Authority
may wish to consider extending the graded staff structure by creating a further Senior Dental
Officer Post. This as well as helping to recruit and retain staff, could lead to increased
efficiency". In view of our staff problems this recommendation is one which clearly should be
considered and it is to be hoped that this may prove possible in due course.
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