[Report 1957] / School Medical Officer of Health, Dorset County Council.

  • Dorset (England). County Council.
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1957] / School Medical Officer of Health, Dorset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Co-ordination The Association works in conjunction with the Ministry of Labour and National Service and their officers attend interviews in connection with the placement of deaf persons in suitable employment. Deaf persons on the register are visited at work from time to time by the Association’s welfare officers and any problems which may have arisen are dealt with. The county council also has representation on the Executive Committee of the West Regional Association for the Deaf which covers the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucester, Somerset and Wiltshire. Statistics The following table shows the number of persons both deaf and hard of hearing, registered with the authority on 31st December, 1957:— Class Chil under dren age 16 Person 16 t s aged 0 64 Person 65 am s aged i over Total M. F. M. F. M. F. Deaf 12 6 95 60 3 4 180 Hard of Hearing 11 8 48 28 18 37 150 Physically Handicapped (General Classes) Administrative Arrangements The model scheme prepared by the Ministry of Health for the welfare of handicapped persons, other than the blind, partially sighted and deaf or dumb, has been adopted by the county council. This was approved by the Minister of Health and the British Red Cross Society (Dorset Branch) act as agents of the county council in respect of certain sections of the scheme. Cases are referred from various sources including general practitioners, hospitals, central government departments and workers of voluntary organisations. The initial visit is made by a health visitor who submits a report on the case to the county health department, [f the person wishes to be registered under the council's scheme, and is considered suitable the application is recorded in the central register and services required are provided through the agency of the British Red Cross Society or otherwise. Clinical problems that arise are dealt with by an assistant medical officer of health in close consultation with the general practitioners. Administrative irrangements are carried out by the staff of the county health department. i Owing to the increasing number of applications from handicapped persons for assistance under the scheme, a district health isitor has been devoting part of her time to liaison duties in this connection. All cases are referred to her and those requiring special ervices are visited by her. Services Provided The social welfare services for handicapped persons set out in circular 32/51 are comprehensive and are provided wherever possible i'hen the need for them arises. General advice and guidance is given and arrangements made for any special services, either through oluntary organisations or otherwise. The British Red Cross Society provides several of these services as an extension of the after-care acilities available under the agency arrangements with the county council under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act. Handicrafts are taught to handicapped persons by members of the British Red Cross Society who also help with the sale of finished irticles and the placing of orders. The county council authorised a grant to the Dorset Association for the Welfare of the Physically Handicapped to assist with the general welfare of handicapped persons. Admission to holiday homes of suitable cases are made by the county health department. Close liaison is maintained with the Ministry of Labour and National Service through the disablement resettlement officers to assist handicapped persons in securing suitable employment, and help is also given with arrangements for training under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act. Statistics The following table shows the number of physically handicapped (general classes) registered with the authority as at 31st December, 1957:— Number on Register 31.12.1956 341 New Cases 116 Deaths 29 457 Removals from Register 38 67 Number of Register 31.12.57 390