[Report 1953] / Medical Officer of Health, County Council of the Parts of Lindsey (Lincolnshire).

  • Lindsey (England : County). County Council.
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / Medical Officer of Health, County Council of the Parts of Lindsey (Lincolnshire). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Personnel and Vehicles . . The following table gives details station by station of the number of personnel employed and the number of vehicles in use at 31st December, 1953. as compared with the establishment fixed by the County Council. :_ Establishment Ambulances and Personnel Whole-time Men i Retained Men Female Attendants Ambulances Establishment Number em¬ ployed Establishment Number avail¬ able Establishment Number en¬ rolled Establishment Avail’ble for use Louth 7 7 15 15 7 6 Cleethorpes 9 9 9 9 7 2 s d Gainsborough 4 4 12 10 7 4 4 D A Scunthorpe 12 12 9 9 7 5 9 H- Q Skegness . 4 4 12 12 7 5 4 y A Homcastle. 2 2 12 12 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Mablethorpe 2 2 12 12 3 3 Market Rasen 2 2 12 11 3 1 3 Barton-on-Humber 2 2 12 12 3 Totals. 44 44 105 102 47 30 31 plus 2 spares 31 Number of vehicles off the road for repair or overhaul at 31st December, 1953—2 PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE Under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, local health authorities are empowered to make arrangements (which may include the payment of contributions to voluntary organisations) for the prevention of illness, and the care and after-care of persons suffering from illness or mental defectiveness. The Ministry of Health has reserved the right to direct the exercise of any of these powers and accordingly he has specifically directed that arrangements be made for the purpose of preventing tuberculosis and for the care and after-care of persons suffering from tuberculosis. Tuberculosis There are three administrative bodies sharing responsibility for the diagnosis, treatment and control of tuber¬ culosis, viz. the hospital board who provide hospital accommodation and clinic facilities, the local executive council who provide, through the general medical practitioners, for the medical care of patients in their own homes, and the local health authority charged with the duty of prevention and after-care. With divided responsibility it will be obvious that an effective and smooth working service can only be attained it there is close co-operation between the officers of the various bodies concerned. The arrangements made to achieve this co-operation and which were referred to in last year’s report, have continued to work satisfactorily. Home Visits All new cases coming to the notice of the County Council either by formal notification or otherwise are referred to the health visitor. The home is visited and a report made on the home conditions including particulars of contacts and recommendations as to any service available which the patient requires. A copy of this report is forwarded to the chest physician. The number of visits made to tuberculosis patients during 1953 was 3,289. The health visitor also assists in making the arrangements for the examination of contacts. All cases of active tuber¬ culosis continue to be visited at intervals of three months when any matter requiring attention is reported. Information received from chest physicians in respect of patients discharged from sanatoria is forwarded to the health visitors for their information and in order that they may re-commence visiting as soon after discharge as possible. Subject to any direction by the chest physician or the patients’ own doctor, the health visitor takes the opportunity at her routine home visits to advise the patient and other members of the household on the steps to be taken to minimise the risk of spread of infection. Examination of Contacts The number of contacts reported by the chest physician as having been examined during the year was 724, which gives a ratio of three contacts for each new case of pulmonary tuberculosis reported. Where necessary the chest physician continues to supervise contacts for varying periods after the initial examination. Most of those at present examined are family contacts but consideration is being given as to the practicability of examining those in contact with the patient at his place of work and elsewhere. This is a procedure presenting a number of difficulties bearing on the relationship between employer and employed. Extra Nourishment The National Assistance Board may make cash allowances to tubercular patients for the purchase of extra nourishment, if, however, the chest physicians advise that further extra nourishment is required the County Council provides it in the form of milk and eggs. Eighty-four patients were so provided for during the year.
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