View report page

39
Some patients should be treated at four weekly intervals or even less.
At some clinics, however, the waiting period is as much as 8 weeks. In
consequence, in one or two parts of the Borough it is possible to provide a
service for those aged between 15 and 64 years of age.
The location of the clinics and sessions is set out on pages 3 and 4
and statistics of attendances at these clinics are set out below. Most of the
school children are treated for verrucae. No expectant mothers were treated.
Number of Sessions 4, 288
Number of cases: Aged 0 to 4 6
Aged 5 to 14 749
Aged 15 to 64 1,092
Aged 65 and over 3,289
5, 136
Number of attendances 30,474
RECUPERATIVE HOLIDAYS
Details of the holidays arranged for adults and children who have suffered
from recent acute illness and who needed a short period of rest without medical
or nursing care are set out below:-
Adults 203 209
Children under 5 not attending school 16 19
School children 135 141
ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY MACHINES
Early in 1968 the Minister of Health gave local authorities general approval
to make adaptations to homes of individuals who need an artificial kidney machine.
During the year adaptations were carried out in two instances, but in one, the
patient having improved, the machine was not installed until after the end of
the year. An illustration of an artificial kidney machine is shown opposite
page 12.
HOME HELP SERVICE
This service which is organised from four home help area offices, is in
the main a service for the elderly in the Borough who, because of illness,
require domestic assistance. Every attempt is made to provide some assistance
to all eligible cases, and at times, mainly due to shortage of home helps, it
is necessary to spread the available service somewhat thinly.
Meetings with the home help organisers are held monthly, when matters of
common concern are discussed.
Details of the service in this and the previous year are set out below:-
1967 1968
Number of new applications received 1,319 1,428
Types of cases assisted: Maternity 51 82
Tuberculosis 37 31
Old people (over 65) 3,774 3,626
Chronic sick (under 65) 483 523
Miscellaneous 352 372
Total number of households assisted 4,697 4,634
The majority of the miscellaneous cases were of acute illness in persons
under 65 years of age. Many of them are mothers who have to go into hospital