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34
customary action, applicants still claimed that only rehousing
would meet their health needs.
In the case of every representation, from whatsoever source
received, the claim was carefully scrutinised, together with all other
available information bearing upon the case.
If, after this scrutiny, it was thought that the claim did not
contain medical grounds for re-housing, but was concerned more
with building defects, hygiene, housing management or other such
matters, then, with this information, the case was referred for
attention through the customary channels of the Health or Housing
Departments.
When deemed to be worthy of further investigation the Health
Department inspected the existing accommodation, and weighed it
against the detail of the expanded claim for rehousing on medical
grounds. If indicated, the factual basis of the general claim was
subsequently verified by enquiries made of family doctors, hospitals,
or other related medical authorities.
A word picture and plan was then prepared. This, without
entering into personal detail, gave in ordinary language a description
of the applicant's accommodation, the medical grounds presented
by them in relation to its unsuitability and the findings and recommendations
concerning this.
If the recommendation was that the situation could be remedied
by repair work, rearrangement within the house, amicable agreement
between tenants, or, in short, by any means other than re-housing,
then, as with cases considered at preliminary scrutiny not to be
within the special scope of this investigation, full information was
passed to appropriate persons or organisations so that either action
might be taken by them or that they might advise the applicant
what he or she should do in the matter. These persons or organisations
included sanitary inspectors, health visitors, area welfare
departments, national assistance officers, family doctors, the British
Red Cross and W.V.S., and the legal advice bureau.
Where all possible action had already been taken, and rehousing
had still been claimed on medical grounds, then, if after
visiting and investigation, it was considered that the claim was not