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HOME HELP SERVICE
Staff
Home Help Organiser 1
Assistant Home Help Organisers 2
Home Helps — Whole-time 3
— Part-time 97
— Whole-time
equivalent 55.4
(permitted establishment 100)
Applications for the home help service are dealt with in the following order of
priority:—
1. Acute emergency cases.
2. Domiliciliary Confinements.
3. Tuberculosis.
4. Other cases, i.e., chronic sick, aged, infirm, mentally disordered, etc.
Applicants are assessed to pay what they can afford, but persons in receipt of
National Assistance Board grants and those suffering from toxaemia in pregnancy
receive the service free of charge. The standard charge for the service at the end of
the year was 5/- per hour.

(included above are 546 cases brought forward from 1964).
It is interesting to note that out of every 10 persons receiving the service, approximately
7 receive it free of charge; 2 pay less than full cost, and 1 pays full cost.
Figures at the 31st December, 1965, were as follows:—
No payment 455
Less than full cost 118
Full cost 69
During the year the home help service, although working to capacity, has had
difficulty in meeting all requests for assistance. Generally speaking, cases in the priority
classes such as acute emergencies, domiciliary confinements, and the tuberculous were
given some assistance but in many instances more assistance than that given was
indicated.
Despite continued advertising in the local press, display cabinets, etc., the number
of home helps has reduced. The lack of recruits may be due in the main to the low
rate of pay compared with that obtainable by domestic staff in other fields. At the turn
of the year, a fresh pay award was due to be implemented.
Hourly payment is made to home helps in accordance with nationally negotiated
rates of pay. Additional remuneration is given for work with problem families, dirty
homes and certain infectious diseases.
Patients are assessed by the Borough Treasurer according to financial circumstances.
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