[Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, Northampton County Borough.
93/128

Welfare (continued) Partially Sighted Persons. Persons appropriate for designation as “ partially sighted ” are those who, although not blind within the meaning of Section 64 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, are nevertheless certified after examination to be substantially and permanently handi¬ capped by congenital defective vision; or to be suffering from defective vision of a substantial and permanently handicapping character caused by illness or injury; or, in the case of children, to have such bad vision that they cannot follow the ordinary school curriculum without detriment to their sight or to their educational development, but they can be educated by special methods involving the use of sight. In the approved scheme under Section 29 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, provision was made for the promotion of the welfare of partially sighted persons. Admission to the register is dependent upon a certificate from a consultant ophthalmologist. Registration is voluntary. The register contained the names of 34 persons on 31st December, 1960, made up as follows:— Class A—“Persons near and prospectively blind (aged 16 years and over) _ Class B — Persons mainly industrially handicapped (16 years and over) ... Class C—Persons requiring observation only (16 years and over) .. Class D — Children aged 5 and under 16 years . MALES FEMALES TOTALS 3 17 20 2 3 5 3 3 6 1 2 3 Totals 9 25 34 3 of the above persons were newly registered as partially sighted during 1960. Table 25 on page 78 shews, in age groups, the number of newly registered partially sighted persons since 1952. Two partially sighted persons whose sight deteriorated were certified as blind during the year. {See also “ Handicraft Class ” and “ Holiday Scheme,” below). Handicraft Class. A Handicraft Class for the blind and partially sighted is held on Thursday afternoons at St. Michael’s Church Rooms. 40 classes were held during 1960, at which there were 1,746 attendances (average attendance 44). One half-day outing to Woburn and Bedford was arranged during the year for persons attending the class and a Christ¬ mas party was held. Holiday Scheme. Under the Holiday Scheme to assist necessitous blind and partially sighted persons in taking a holiday, 25 blind and par¬ tially sighted persons and 30 guides spent a very enjoyable week at Clacton-on-Sea from 17th to 24th September, 1960. Financial assistance was provided if requested and 26 persons were helped in this way. Half of the total cost to the Local Authority was met by the Northampton¬ shire Town and County Association for the Blind.