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Patients in need of any form of medical and nursing care requiring convalescence are the responsibility
of the Regional Hospital Board.
During 1968, the Authority arranged and accepted financial responsibility for the placement of 63
persons in recuperative holiday homes, of these 49 were admitted to such homes and 14 cancelled or withdrew.
A further 55 applications were received, but were declined as not falling within the scope of the
scheme.
In addition, 45 school children were placed in recuperative holiday homes under Section 45 of the
Education Act, 1944.
CHIROPODY
(Table 12)
The chiropody service provided by the Council for the elderly, the physically handicapped, expectant
and nursing mothers, and children under school age, continued during the year with no slackening in
demand.
At the time of the issue of Ministry Circular 11/1959, this service was operated by the former
Middlesex County Council, in the main on an agency basis, in the then Area No. 6 through such voluntary
organisations as Willesden Old Folk's Association and the Wembley and Willesden Divisions of the Middlesex
Branch of the British Red Cross Society. This policy was largely dictated by the difficulty in recruiting
suitably qualified chiropodists for employment by the County Council in a directly provided service in its
clinics. The recruitment position eased eventually to enable chiropody clinic sessions to be commenced in
April, 1960, and when in 1965 the service was taken over by the London Borough of Brent two full-time
and three part-time chiropodists were giving treatments in the various health clinics in the Area in addition
to the grant-aided service being provided by the voluntary bodies mentioned above. In 1966 that part of
the service which had hitherto been run by the Willesden Old Folk's Association, and which at that time
involved six part-time chiropodists giving some 6,000 treatments per year in their own surgeries, was taken
over by this Department.
During the year under review, as has been the case through all agencies since the inauguration of
the service, arrangements were made for a chiropodist to visit the patient's home in cases where, by reason
of age or disability, treatment could not be given at a clinic or surgery.
A standard charge of 4/- for treatment of one foot and 8/- for treatment of both feet (with total
abatement in the cases of expectant and nursing mothers, pensioners, children and persons with incomes
below a specified figure) which had obtained since the beginning of the service, was abolished by this Council
in November, 1967.
Chiropody treatment for school children continued to be provided under the Education Act, 1944
(see page 68).
Table 12 indicates a total of 24,075 treatments given in 1968. The growth of the service since it
was taken over by this Council is reflected in the following comparative figures: —
1967 — 22,207
1966 — 19,177
1965 — 15,006
At the end of 1968, three full-time and three part-time chiropodists were employed by the Council
in its clinics and the part-time services of seven chiropodists were being utilised in their own surgeries.
HOME HELP SERVICE
There were 1,070 applications for the service in 1968, and the number of cases receiving help at the
end of the year increased from 1,065 to 1,160. Four tuberculosis cases were helped, and help was provided
free to two mothers suffering from toxaemia of pregnancy. 92 bookings were taken for home confinements
but only 50 cases were helped, the remainder making other arrangements.
The maximum charge to the public remained at 6/9d. per hour, but the rate of pay of Helpers was
increased from 5/6 7/8d. to 5/9 5/8d. per hour from 30th September. The establishment of 95 full-time equivalent
Home Helps was not reached, but an average of 88 was maintained. Three persons were employed as Neighbourly
Helps during the year.
The Organisers made a total of 6,252 visits.
LOAN OF NURSING EQUIPMENT
The Middlesex Branch of the British Red Cross Society through its Divisions at Willesden and
Wembley continues to operate the loan of nursing equipment scheme on behalf of the Council.
Under these arrangements a hire charge is collected from the patient by the British Red Cross Society
and retained by the Society to enable it to purchase replacement equipment as required. If the patient is
unable to meet the hire charge it is paid by the Council. During 1968, 2,312 articles were loaned to patients.
Transport required for the collection and delivery of bulky articles is provided by the Council.
During the year the Council paid to the British Red Cross Society £858 1s. 4d. in respect of patients'
hire charges. The Society, with the Council's agreement, increased their charges as from 1st April owing to
rising costs and this is the reason for the higher expenditure compared with that of last year.