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39
living in Council accommodation may be evicted unless the family circumstances
have been discussed at the fieldwork and full Co-ordinating Committee level and
a recommendation is made by that Committee totheHousing Manager. Thissystem
clearly indicates the care and thoroughness taken by the Council and its
officers in examining the circumstances of all families where there is the
likelihood of eviction.
During 1967 the Co-ordinating Committee arranged two meetings for social
workers which were addressed by the Deputy Housing Manager with tne aim of
explaining the policy and practice of the Housing Department and improving
the understanding and relationship the Department has with the social work
services. These meetings were highly successful and further meetings are
planned for 1968 when the subjects will be the work of the Ministry of Social
Security, the work of the Children's Department and of the Welfare Department.
In July, 1967, the Committee set up a small working party to investigate
the problems of the Kingsmead Estate. The working party made contact with a
wide range of social services and the Kingsmead Tenants Association and anticipated
that the final report would be available for early Spring, 1968. The
particular considerations of the working party were (a) the improvement of the
amenities on and serving the estate and (b) the rational use of social work
resources.
BATHING SERVICE AND INCONTINENT LAUNDRY
Bathing facilities for the treatment of verminous persons and for the
bathing of elderly persons with no home facilities are provided at the Millfields
Depot whilst similar facilities are provided at the Shoreditch Health
Centre for school children only.
The premises at the Millfields Centre being, to say the least, somewhat
Victorian, it was decided during the year to carry out adaptations at the
Shoreditch Health Centre to provide a comprehensive bathing service. Work
on these adaptations was in progress at the end of the year.
The bathing service for elderly people is also providedat home for those who
are not fit to be brought to the Centre. In many cases people are bathed in
their own home. The agreement of the family doctor is obtained in each case.
Details of baths given during the year are set out below:-
No: No of baths
Bathed at Centre 71 975
Bathed at home 59 1,101
In 1966 all general practitioners were advised that local authorities
were able to issue incontinence pads. There was at once a marked increase in
demand and in 1967 the number issued was double that in the previous year.
Arrangements for the laundering of soiled linen still continue and this
is carried out at the Millfields Centre. Some 43,700 articles were laundered
during the year.
RE-HOUSING ON MEDICAL GROUNDS
Regular monthly meetings with representatives from the Housing Department
continued to take place. During the year under review 96 cases were discussed
and 83 placed in various degrees of priority. In each case the precise medical
condition and resultant disability were determined necessitating communication
with the family doctor or with the hospital attended.