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Expenditure Included the following forms of assistance:—
Fares to hospital
Clothing
Holiday grant
Extra Nourishment
Furniture and bedding
Removal expenses
Christmas gifts to patients
It is evident that the amount expended on extra nourishment for patients is
comparatively small and it would appear that this problem could be more thoroughly dealt
with if the Committee had sufficient funds or if the local health authority Itself provided
extra nourishment, especially milk, on the special recommendation of the Chest Physician.
The income of the Committee is not very large at present and it would appear desirable that
whatever funds it is able to collect should be used to provide assistance that is not covered
by the National Assistance Act or the National Health Service Act,
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY.
Miss Stephens was appointed to the new post of Occupational Therapist in September,
1955. In the three months to the end of the year occupational therapy materials and
equipment were ordered and seventeen patients had been registered for treatment. These
patients suffered from a variety of conditions and were referred by the Chest Physician and
general practitioners. For patients attending the Chest Clinic a small occupational therapy
class was commenced in the Health Visitors Office in Balaam Street Baths on the 7th December,
1955.
The Occupational Therapist was accommodated in an office Jointly with the Non-medical
Supervisor of Midwlves. It is hoped that as the service develops a suitable occupational
therapy centre will become available where there is adequate accommodation for equipment
and materials and where group therapy reinforced by social activities can be carried out.
Convalescence.
The arrangements for the provision of convalescence in cases where no active medical
or nursing care is necessary, were again fully used during the year, 132 adult persons being
recommended for recuperative holidays, a decrease of 11 over the previous year.
The sources of reference were:-
General Practitioners 90
Hospitals 26
Chest Clinic 10
Other 6
Of the initial recommendations, 24 were withdrawn, either by the patient or the
referring agency, before consideration by the Council's medical officer; and of the 108
thus reviewed, 98 applications were approved, 3 were not approved, 3 were referred to the
Regional Hospital Board, 3 referred to the Chief Welfare Officer, and 1 was deferred and
subsequently cancelled. Of the 98 approved, 14 were withdrawn, for various reasons leaving
8^ for whom convalescence was arranged.
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