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short film "His Fighting Chance" was arranged at the local
cinema and a demonstration of the technical Poliomyelitis film,
"Poliomyelitis Diagnosis and Management," was arranged and
shown to a professional audience of Medical Practitioners,
Hospital Matrons, Nurses and all likely to be dealing with cases
of the disease. An enquiry was made whether this film could not
be shown to a wider audience, and arrangements were put in
hand for a showing to be given to the Public Relations Council
and representatives from various social services' societies of the
Borough during the New Year. It was hoped that Dr. Bradley
of the Ministry of Health would attend to make the film more
intelligible to a non-technical audience.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT.
Section 47.—Removal to suitable premises of persons
in need of care and attention.
During 1949 eight cases of elderly people living in neglected
conditions and likely to be in need of removal under this Section
were investigated. No Statutory Action was required as by
means of the Home Help Service and by the assistance of the
County Council Welfare Officer and the Geriatric Department at
West Middlesex Hospital other methods of alleviating the distress
were used.
It has become apparent that a great deal more could be done
for the Aged Persons who are found to be living in neglected
conditions if it were possible to supply them rapidly with bedding,
crockery or other household requirements needed to replace faulty
or damaged articles. In most cases there is no immediately
available money for the purchase of these articles and the process
of obtaining assistance from the Charitable Societies is at times
a slow one. The Home Help Service is handicapped in its work
by the absence of these articles.
The provision of meals for the aged and chronic sick is also
of inestimable value in the prevention of deterioration in the health
of many. This need has been brought to the attention of the
Council and it is hoped that by the setting up of a special committee,
funds may be made available for a full meals service and for
an equipment pool from which necessities could be drawn either
free of charge or on a deferred payments system.
CARAVANS AND MOVEABLE DWELLINGS.
A survey was undertaken of the whole of the Caravans and
Moveable Dwellings normally sited on premises within the
Borough or in waters within the Borough in order to ascertain
the nature of the living conditions in these dwellings and the
figure of overcrowding.
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