[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Orkney County & Kirkwall Burgh.

  • Orkney (Scotland). County Council.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, Orkney County & Kirkwall Burgh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/48 (page 4)
    COUNTY HOME Total Admissions - 42 Total Discharges - 14 Total Deaths - 26 The County Home ;.s the Public Assistance Residence for housing the aged, poor and sic.1: people. Accommodation provided is for 47 inmates, divided up as follows:- Infirm - 13 Males and 12 Females. Chronic Sick - 7 Males and 7 Females. Acute Sick - 4 Males and 4 Females. The general condition of the building is up to date and the facilities for baths and hot water are sufficient for the inmates. The building is now lighted by electric light. There are two day rooms in the Home - one for males and one for females. Those two have been found to be adequate for this Institution. They are equipped with comfortable chairs, book- cases, portable radio and gramophone with records. The inmates appreciate the day rooms very much and make use of them freely. Staff - Two visiting Medical Officers, who take a period of duty alternatively, 1 Matron, 4 Nurses and 7 Domestic Staff. All children admitted to the Home come under the Matron's special care, and in her absence off duty, temporarily under that of a nurse. Whilst any are in the Institution, they attend Kirkwall Grammar School and also Sabbath School outside the Home. They are at all times kept apart from the adult inmates. Whenever possible, however, boarding out is promptly arranged for by Mr Robertson, County Social ’Welfare Officer. Congenial employment is allocated to those inmates who might be able and willing to perform it. Light garden work and breaking of firewood, etc. for the males, and the repairing, etc. of house clothing and light housework for the females. However, as the years progress, the number of inmates admitted who might be able to perform such work would grow relatively less. At least, this applies to this Home. I am satisfied that the patients are generally well cared for, and that the other inmates are well looked after. In the arrange- ments for the feeding of inmates, one can only appreciate what it means by a visit at meal times, and it is a good thing that the old rationing scheme was abandoned. The males and females are kept separate at all times. Persons of Unsound Mind are admitted to the Home only as a temporary measure, pending their transfer to an Institution for persons of unsound mind.