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41
Health Education Officer
It is hoped to appoint a Health Education Officer in 1972.
SMOKERS' ADVISORY CLINIC
Despite all efforts to attract smokers to the clinic the numbers
attending this weekly clinic continues to show a decline. Forty- six
people attended 124 times and of these twenty-six attended only once.
It is not possible to say how many people actually gave up smoking as
a result of attending the clinic. The clinic is run by a Principal
Medical Officer.
It is planned to transfer the clinic in 1972, to the new Somerford
Grove Health Centre where it is hoped attendances will improve.
RE-HOUSING ON MEDICAL GROUNDS
Twelve meetings took place during the year between representatives
of the Housing Department and the Health Department and 267 cases were
discussed to review what priority for rehousing on medical grounds
should be given. Three of the cases were not considered as having any
medical priority. Of the remaining 264 cases, 168 were given the highest
priority and 40 some degree of priority. A few applicants asked for, and
were granted, direct interviews with the Principal Medical Officer
concerned in order to present their cases and on two occasions the
Principal Medical Officer visited the families in order to assess the
situation objectively. The number of families rehoused on medical
grounds was 125 and of these 17 were families needing four bedroomed
accommodation. However, there are still families in need of 4/6
bedroomed accommodation, who have been waiting for more than three years.
The difficulty in providing accommodation with four or more bedrooms
is of considerable concern to the Council. The assessment continues to
be based on both medical and social grounds especially where families
with children are involved.
NURSING HOMES
There are four Nursing Homes registered in the Borough.
St. Margaret's Nursing Home, 262 Victoria Park Road, E.9.
Until this year St. Margaret's provided 2 beds for maternity
cases and 9 beds for chronic sick. However, owing to the fall in demand
for its maternity services this Home now concentrates wholly on providing
care for 12 chronic sick or fragile elderly patients. It has
been reregistered accordingly.