[Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Kent County Council.

  • Kent (England). County Council. n 50045898.
Date:
1970
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Kent County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/38 (page 9)
    B.C.G. VAj::CINATION During 1970, 13, 616 schoolchildren aged 13 years and over were skin tested, 12, 218 were found to be negative and 12, 171 were vaccinated. All tuberculin positive children were referred to the chest physician concerned for further investigation. As in former years, precautionary investigations of schoolchildren who had been in contact with known cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were continued. 200 children from 3 schools were skin tested of whom 72 were tuberculin positive and referred to the chest physician. Members of school staffs were also given an opportimity of attending for X-ray. ASCERTAINMENT OF CONTACTS Contacts of persons known to be suffering from tuberculosis are persuaded by the health visitor to attend the chest clinics for examination. During the year 5, 232 contacts were examined and 18 were found to be tuberculous. EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS KNOWN TO BE SUFFERING FROM TUBERCULOSIS Sputum positive cases are not generally encouraged to return to work but if they do, every pre- caution is taken to ensure that there is no spread of infection. Where the previous employment is not considered suitable, the Disablement Resettlement Officer of the Ministry of Labour, endeavours to find alternative employment or in certain cases the patient will undertake a course of training for work suitable to his condition. ILLNESSES GENERALLY RECUPERATIVE CARE Recuperative residential care is provided under Sections 22 and 28 of the Act. This is restricted to instances where a child under 16 years has suffered from an illness which has been treated either in a hospital or at home and whilst needing further medical and /or nursing care of the type that can be provided by a general practitioner and home nurse, cannot have that care at home. An application was received for one child, who was sent away. NURSING REQUISITES The increasing demand for equipment is for chronic sick or severely handicapped persons who are partially or wholly confined to bed and for short-term acute illnesses. By the end of the year the total number of items of equipment on loan to patients had again increased by over 2, 000. Demand for the special pads made in County Training Centres for the home nursing of incontinent patients continues to increase and over 500,000 are now used in a year. Pants for incontinent patients together with disposable inners, are also supplied. The types of special equipment in use at the end of the year and the costs are:- Hoists Lifting Poles Hospital Beds Walking Sticks Walking Frames Toilet Seats Toilet Aids Commodes Sani-Cushions Ejector Seat & Chairs Bath Seats and Boards Bath Rails Bath Mats Cot Beds Ripple Beds Special Chairs (Amesbury etc.) Egerton Beds Easinurse Mattresses Foam Mattresses No. Issued in 1970 Total on Loan 31st December, 1970. Cost £ 117 153 10, 700 179 276 3, 300 106 117 3, 000 227 343 1, 000 1, 366 2, 011 6, 000 266 498 3, 500 234 495 2, 200 72 121 1, 500 9 13 80 127 195 5, 000 802 1, 613 3, 000 422 962 5, 700 593 1,166 900 51 47 1,400 644 224 7, 000 8 23 700 4 12 1, 800 - 3 75 142 164 1, 000 5, 389 8, 436 57,855