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General Health and Welfare Services
National Assistance Act 1948.
National Assistance (Amendment) Act, 1951.
Removal to Suitable Premises of Persons in Need of Care
A number of cases were reported to the Department with a view to possible action
under these Acts during the year. Special visits were made and in no case was it found
necessary to remove the patient compulsorily. The Department was successful in either
persuading the patients to enter a hospital or hostel voluntarily or in providing services
such as Home Nursing, Domestic Help, etc., with which the patient was able to be supported
in his own home.
EPILEPSY
A. Children
There is no change in the arrangements whereby all children between the ages of 2 years
and 16 years found to be suffering from epilepsy are referred to the School Health Service
for examination and any necessary action. If special educational treatment is needed and
cannot be met in the ordinary day school, arrangements are made for the child's admission to
either a special day or residential school. The number of children known to be suffering
from epilepsy and their placing is as follows:-
In attendance at ordinary schools 26
In attendance at day special schools 1
In attendance at residential special schools 6
Under school age 5
Total: 38
B. Adults
As there is no complete registration of persons suffering from epilepsy it is not
possible to give a true picture of this defect. It is usually the more severe cases which
come to notice and if such cases are in need of residential accommodation this is arranged
by the Welfare Department under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948.
The number of West Ham cases of epilepsy in residential care at the end of the year
was twelve, these cases being accommodated as follows
Wessex House 3
Forest House 3
St. Cuthbert's 1
Voluntary Bodies 5
In some further cases known to this Department the epilepsy is associated with a
degree of mental deficiency. If institutional care is not required such cases may be
placed under supervision in accordance with the provisions of the Mental Deficiency Acts.
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