[Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Dundee City.

  • Dundee (Scotland). City Council.
Date:
1967
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Dundee City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Health Visitors. During 1967, two Health Visitors attended a two weeks’ course in Field Work Instruction in St. Andrews; four Health Visitors a one week refresher course in Edinburgh; two Health Visitors a Summer School in St. Andrews; and one Health Visitor a course in Family Psychiatry in Ipswich. These breaks in the day to day routine of work are most valuable in maintain- ing the alertness and interest of staff who are grateful to the Health and Welfare Committee for their continued generosity. During the year, the following home visits were undertaken :— Home Visits Home Visits Ante-Natal 10,388 T.B Cases 1,362 Post-Natal 3,837 Nursery investigations 494 Children under 1 year 21,263 Mentally sub-normal 816 Children 1-5 years 52,456 Psvchiatric after-care 382 School Children 2,596 Geriatrics 4,620 Infectious disease 759 Other hospital after-care 136 Infectious disease contacts 1,293 Problem families 757 Housing 821 Home accidents 762 Fostering and adoption 97 Cervical Cytology 2,455 Total Visits — 105,294 Wasted Visits - - 24,444 Homes Visited - -74,261 There are no Health Visitors attached to general medical practitioners in Dundee. Domestic Help Service : During the year the total number of households receiving the services of domestic helps was 1,712 including short term cases. Of 1,053 new applications received, 859 were granted and of these 1 was T.B., 6 ante-natal, 43 confinement, 30 post-natal and 770 in respect of old age and chronic sickness. April and November were the months when most help was given, 870 households receiving help. As at 31st December, 1967, 864 households were receiving help, compared with 853 in 1966. Of the 864 households receiving help at the end of the year 12 (1.4%) were T.B. cases, 25 (2.9%) were blind, 70 (8.1%) were acute illness cases and 757 (87.3%) were old age and chronic illness. Of these cases. 41 (4.7%) paid full cost, 114 (13.2%) paid a scaled charge and 709 (82.1%) received the service free. Last year’s figures were 26 (3.1%), 321 (37.6%) and 506 (59.3%) paid the minimum charge. Following the publication of the new Ministry of Social Security Act 1966. and a new scheme of supplementary allowances and pensions to be admin- istered by the Supplementary Benefits Commission, the Corporation con- sidered that there was no longer a good case for a minimum charge being made to applicants, particularly old age pensioners, who were receiving Social Security Benefit. It was decided that in cases where there is no other wage earner in the household and the applicant is in receipt of Social Security Benefit, or where the applicant's income or means are so limited that to pay such a charge would be likely to render him eligible for Social Security Benefit, the Service be provided free of charge. It is interesting to note that since this decision was taken in February. 1967. the number of applicants on Social Security level who are now receiving help free has risen by 203 from 506