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

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Richmond upon Thames 1971

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]

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A mobile mass X-ray unit also visited the Bus Station at the rear of the Odeon
Cinema, Richmond, on Thursday evenings between 5.15 p.m. and 6.15 p.m., and the
Car Park, Municipal Offices, Sheen Lane, East Sheen, on Monday evenings between
5.45 and 6.30 p.m.
AFTER CARE FACILITIES.
The Council operates a free milk and extra nourishment scheme for chest cripples.
Persons in need are recommended for this service by the Medical Social Workers of
the chest clinics serving the Borough. Persons in receipt of supplementary benefit from
the Department of Health and Social Security are automatically eligible, others are
assessed according to income to ascertain their eligibility. Persons whose income does
not allow them to come within the Council's scheme may, if appropriate, be referred
to the Richmond upon Thames Chest and Tuberculosis Care Committee.

The number of patients who received help during 1971, was as follows: —

Adults24(27)
Children-(1)
Total24(28)
Patients receiving free milk only11(14)
Patients receiving extra nourishment only2(2)
Patients receiving both free milk and extra nourishment11(11)

(Figures in brackets show comparable figures for 1970).
The Richmond upon Thames Chest and Tuberculosis Care Committee also continued
to undertake after care of chest cripples for the whole Borough.
I am indebted to Mrs. M. Jolliffe, Chairman, and her colleagues for the following
report on the progress of the Organisation during the year.
"During 1971 our Committee has struggled to keep its head above water,
fighting against rising costs. We are still solvent but there is a feeling that we are
mainly paying out routine grants to routine patients, so easy but very unrewarding.
Our constant concern is to find new patients, patients whom we are certain must
exist but who are never reported to us.
Fortunately one or two new sources of patients who need help have come to our
ears and we are indebted to Dr. James in acquainting us with some patients attending
the Teddington Health Clinic. We see in the telephone directory that there are
many more such clinics with which contact could be made. We have already been
in touch with the Personal Services Division of the Social Services Department.
It is pleasing to report that our Christmas Seals Sale this year actually produced
more money than of late, possibly due to an appeal letter that made more impact
than usual but also to regular subscribers increasing their contributions. As a new
venture we have applied to and received from the Richmond Parish Charity Lands
an annual grant which can be used to help any patient resident in what is known as
the 'Old Parish of Richmond'.
Once again our help has been largely concentrated on gifts of fuel, Christmas
parcels and arrangements for holidays for patients and/or their families. There have
been occasional requests for larger sums of money for special cases. There is no
doubt that supplies of fuel are of major importance to chest patients and such help
must continue to be given to the full. The gesture of Christmas parcels is greatly
appreciated by the undernourished and underprivileged patients.
We suggested that we should seek new patients in the fringe areas round our
Borough but attempts failed because we were informed that the neighbouring
authorities were then organising their own chest clinics and other welfare services.
Our main theme in 1971 was 'Bring us some new patients'. This we can only repeat."
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