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The Housing Department is kept informed of adverse housing conditions coming
to the notice of the Health Department and assistance is given in the assessment of
applications for re-housing where priority on medical grounds is claimed
During the year the council approved expenditure as under:-
(a) advances of £808,960 for house purchase under the Housing
(Financial Provisions) Act, 1958 in relation to 350 houses
(b) improvement grants of £4,656 under section 30 of the Housing
(Financial Provisions) Act, 1958 in relation to 20 houses.
(c) repairs loans of £4,475 under section 43 of the Housing
(Financial Provisions) Act, 1958 in relation to 18 houses.
(d) repair costs of £49 15s Od under section 9 of the Housing
Act, 1957, for work in default in relation to one house.
(e) standard grants of £5,910 under Section 4 of the House
Purchase and Housing Act, 1959 in relation to 55 houses
GENERAL MATTERS
BURIALS Under Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, it is the duty
of the Council to arrange the burial of any person who has died in the district,
where it appears that there are no suitable arrangements for the disposal of the
body During 1961 one burial was arranged in accordance with this section
PUBLIC MORTUARY. The public mortuary situated in the grounds of Holy Trinity
Church, has been demolished The premises were out-of-date and unsuitable for postmortem
examination or the retention of a body for other than a very short time. By
arrangement with the Coroner, bodies are taken direct to Acton or Hampton Mortuaries.
The Council pays a charge made for the use of these mortuaries
MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF STAFF. For superannuation or other purposes 179 members
of the council s staff were referred to the Health Department for medical examination
HEALTH EDUCATION Posters issued by the central Council for Health Education
continued to be displayed on the boards formerly used by the Empire Marketing Board
During the year, the Medical Officer of Health gave talks to several organisations
in the Borough on various aspects of the health services. The Chief Public Health
Inspector engaged in similar activities, particularly in those parts of the Borough
affected by Smoke Control Orders. The staff are fully aware of the opportunities
given by their contact with the people for drawing attention to matters bearing on
health and hygiene. Other Departments have co-operated by displaying health educational
material.
PERSONS IN NEED OF CARE AND ATTENTION Section 47 of the National Assistance
Act, 1948, places the responsibility on the Council of taking action to secure the
necessary care and attention for persons who:-
(a) are suffering from grave chronic disease or, being aged, infirm
or physically incapacitated, are living in insanitary conditions,
and
(b) are unable to devote to themselves, and are not receiving from
other persons, proper care and attention:
Despite the growing interest of statutory and voluntary agencies in the welfare
of the aged, cases come to the notice of the Department of neglected aged persons
living in insanitary conditions. Such persons are usually most reluctant to accept
assistance or to go to hospital or institution, but fortunately, in most cases,
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