London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hillingdon 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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EMPLOYMENT OF THE BLIND
This table shows the employment position as at 31st December, 1970. (These figures do not include those persons in residential Homes.)
| Male | Female | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employed in Sheltered Workshops | 4 | — | 4 |
| Employed in Homeworker scheme | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Employed under ordinary conditions | 38 | 11 | 49 |
| Total employed | 45 | 15 | 60 |
| Undergoing Training | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Unemployed but capable and available for work | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Capable but not available for work | 3 | 21 | 24 |
| Not capable | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Not working—65 and over | 57 | 112 | 169 |
| Total | 67 | 145 | 212 |
The following table shows the age groups of persons on the partially sighted register at 31st December, 1970:
| -1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5-10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 75-79 | 80-84 | 85-89 | 90 + | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 48 | |||||
| Female | 3 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 68 | ||||||
| Total | 1 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 116 |
Of the 12 children of school age on the partially sighted register:
6 were attending special schools for partially sighted,
1 was attending another special school,
5 were attending ordinary schools.
Many persons on the partially sighted register require observation only but others are near
or prospectively blind or are substantially handicapped in obtaining or keeping employment.
Of those who fall into this category the following table shows the employment position:
| Persons near and prospectively blind | Others substantially handicapped | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | |
| Employed | 17 | 9 | 26 | |||
| Undergoing Training | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Unemployed but capable and available | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Unemployed and not capable and available | 7 | 25 | 32 | 9 | 28 | 37 |
| Totals | 10 | 26 | 36 | 26 | 38 | 64 |
During 1970, 8 persons whose sight had deteriorated were transferred to the blind register
and one case was removed from the register due to improved visual acuity.
CLUBS AND CLASSES FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS
The handcraft classes which are held on alternate weeks at Uxbridge and Ruislip continue
to be well attended. As part of the reorganisation of social work one social welfare officer who
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