158
(e) Financial assistance,
Temporary financial assistance and the supply of clothes and food is given. The almoners have a small clothing store, and also a Samaritan Fund from which money can be given, or from which goods can be bought and given to patients.
(f) Re-employment.
Many patients on their discharge from hospital are advised about future employment and how best to obtain work. Visits are made by the almoner to the factories concerned and employers are contacted. Whenever possible alternative work is found for the patient. This proves very difficult as for every vacancy in a factory or workshop there are so many healthy workers clamouring for employment.
(g) Attempted suicides.
Those patients who have attempted suicide and have been unsuccessful, who are admitted to hospital or sent to out-patient clinics because their attempt was due to some real or imaginary illness, are the responsibilty of the almoner as well as the doctor. These patients are advised and helped over their difficulties, and are kept under observation after their discharge from hospital.
(h) Injured patients.
Advice and help are also given to those patients who are injured as a result of an accident at work or on the road. A close liaison is maintained with the Traffic Office and the Labour Office, and the almoners arrange to visit patients' employers to see what help can be given to the family.
(1) Extra Food.
Doctors often recommend extra nourishment for patients where the standard of nutrition is very low. These patients are given powdered milk weekly or extra money with which to buy food.
Help has also been given in a variety of other ways applicable to the cases concerned. With the co-operation of other Government departments and voluntary agencies, much has been done to help patients on their discharge from hospital.
During 1949 full statistics were not kept of all these cases but in future years more complete records will be kept and figures will be available to show how many cases are dealt with by the Almoners' Department in the course of a year.
4. Tuberculosls Work.
159
During the last year the almoners concerned have done a great deal of work.
(a) Interviews.
An average of approximately 460 patients per month have been interviewed by the almoners at the Tuberculosis Clinic. For most of these patients arrangements are made for admissión to hospital or for out-patient treatment, and for adequate follow-up by the Tuberculosis Workers of all contacts.
(b) Maintenance Scheme,
Almoners have been responsible for the continuation of the maintenance scheme for families of patients suffering from tuberculosis. This scheme has been a great success. Financial help is given to families of early positive cases of tuberculosis in circumstances where the patient would be unable to take advantage of a vacant hospital bed unless some help was forth- coming. It is also helpful to patients who have been self- supporting and who could not stop work to take treatment unless they know they would have some form of financial assistance. It is hoped that this scheme is encouraging patients to take their treatment at an early stage and so aid recovery.
(c) Rehousing.
It has been found possible in exceptional cases to re-house tubercular patients in more healthy surroundings. The Crown Lands & Survey Office has granted land on a yearly lease to patients who have built their own huts. These patients have been helped with grants and loans from the Almoner's Samaritan Fund.
(d) Care of Children.
Schemes are being discussed with certain voluntary societies who have promised to help to house children who are in contact with direct infection until there is no further danger in the home. During the year arrangements have been made for such children to be admitted to Children's Homes and Institutions for a certain length of time.
(e) Selection of Tuberculosis Workers.
The six new Tuberculosis Workers already mentioned were appointed in January 16th, 1950. Their training consists of courses of lectures, advice and practical experience in home visiting, and visits of observation to hospitals, clinics and wel- fare centres in the Colony. Their main work is to arrange for
1