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28
Rehousing on Medical Grounds
The Council's points system for assessing priority for rehousing makes some
allowance on grounds of ill-health, but it is recognised that the effect of unsatisfactory
housing conditions on the health of some applicants warrants special consideration by
the Housing Lettings Sub-Committee. To meet this need arrangements exist for the
Housing Manager to forward to the Medical Officer of Health details of housing
applications where medical evidence has been submitted supporting the need for rehousing.
These cases are then visited and an assessment made of the medical grounds
and the amount of priority which could be recommended, special regard being given to
the relationship of housing to the illness or risk of infection to others.
Whilst in a large proportion of these cases a decision can be made without
reservation whether or not to recommend the application for medical priority, others
are less easily determined. Particularly difficult are the cases of mental ill
health for most families living in cramped and difficult housing conditions are subject
to mental stress and care is taken to ensure that priority over other deserving cases
is not given unless the medical aspects can be clearly established. When any doubt
exists and it is not possible to give unqualified support for medical priority, the
facts are placed before the Sub-Committee for their consideration and decision.
Assessments of 108 cases were made where applicants had submitted medical
certificates in support of their application for rehousing.
After investigation the following recommendations were made:-
1. Urgent medical priority justified 18
2. Refer to Committee 27
3. Allow medical points 28
4. Unable to support 32
5. Circumstances changed making further
action unnecessary 3
FOOD CONTROL
Food hygiene is a matter of prime public health importance and for this reason
the public health inspectors continue a careful supervision of all food premises in
the borough not only to ensure that premises and equipment are well maintained and
also to keep before food handlers the need for a high standard of personal hygiene.
Legal proceedings were taken in two instances of persons smoking in food rooms.
Following confirmation of the Council's Slaughterhouse Report in 1960 it was
anticipated that the appointed day for the application to existing slaughterhouses
of the Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) Regulations 1958 and the Slaughterhouses
(Hygiene) Regulations 1958, would be the 1st January, 1962. The Minister,
however, decided to defer this date until the 1st July, 1962, after considering
representations from one of the slaughterhouses, where difficulties were being
experienced in bringing the premises up to the required standard.