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During the year the two Tuberculosis Health Visitors employed by the Council made
2,316 domiciliary visits, and attended 510 sessions at the Chest Clinic. The value of the
work of this staff, who carry out their duties from the Chest Clinic, cannot be too strongly
emphasised. They report on all aspects of the health and social conditions of the family:
patients are advised on hygiene, etc., and in necessitous cases financial circumstances
are investigated with a view to assisting in the matter of extra nourishments. Another very
important aspect of their work is to encourage contacts of the patient to attend the Chest
Clinic for examination, thereby ensuring early diagnosis and treatment in many cases.
Sanitary defects are noted by the visiting staff and forwarded to the Health Department
for investigation.
Proposals to employ Social Workers in this after-care work unfortunately could not
be implemented as It was not possible to obtain the services of suitably qualified persons.
(2) Convalescence.
Proposals for the provision of convalescence for adults at holiday homes was approved
by the Ministry of Health, and came into operation in July, 1949.
Prom the inception of the scheme to the end of the year, 24 applications were received
14 from hospitals and 10 from general medical practitioners. Twenty-two applications were
approved, and the remaining 2 were passed to the Regional Hospital Board. Owing to varying
circumstances, however,, 9 of the applications were cancelled. There is little doubt that as
the scheme becomes more widely known, a decided increase in the number of applications will
be forthcoming.
All the patients who were sent away were visited on their return, and without exception
they expressed their satisfaction of the arrangements made and treatment received; all
appeared to have derived some benefit from their convalescence.
(3) Mental Illness or Defectiveness.
Information on the care of mental patients will be found In the Mental Health Section,
pages 33-36.
Section 29 - Domestic Help.
The volume of work undertaken during the year has increased and has, at times, placed
considerable strain on the administrative staff. The establishment consisted of Home Help
Organiser, Assistant Home Help Organiser and the equivalent of 60 full time Home Helps.
Maternity Cases.
177 applications were sent in, and 112 applicants received home help,, The remaining
65 were withdrawn because the applicants did not wish to pay the fee, or had made other
arrangements.
General Sickness.
422 applications were sent in, and 363 applicants received home help. In the remaining
59 cases help was not granted, or the applications were withdrawn.
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