[Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, Northampton County Borough.
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Welfare (continued) (b) Northampton Reception Centre. There is an arrangement between the Hospital Management Committee and the National Assistance Board whereby the Council has been given permission for men to be admitted temporarily in the case of an emergency to the Reception Centre, Wellingborough Road, Northampton. There is record that 33 men spent 59 nights at the Reception Centre under this arrangement. National Assistance Act, 1948: Sections 29 and 30 Blind Persons. According to the definition in Section 64 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, “ blind person ” means a person so blind as to be unable to perform any work for which eyesight is essential. At the end of 1960 the number of blind persons registered in Northampton County Borough was 290, classified as follows In Sunshine Home ..... MALES 1 FEMALES TOTALS 1 At school for the blind ..................... 1 1 2 In homes for the blind .................... 6 6 12 In other residential accommodation ...... 3 8 11 In psychiatric hospitals ....... 3 4 7 In other hospitals ..... 2 13 15 Mentally disordered persons at home ... 3 — 3 Employed in open industry ... 14 3 17 Employed in sheltered industry .. 22 12 34 Training for sheltered employment ...... 1 — 1 Unemployed but capable of and available for work ..... _ 1 1 Not available for employment .. 54 131 185 Child under school age ... 1 — 1 Totals... 111 179 290 6 of the above were trained at St. Dunstan’s and 32 were registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944. 63 men and 132 women (total 195) were over sixty-five years of age. 29 persons were newly registered as blind during 1960 after examina¬ tion and certification by an ophthalmologist of consultant status. Regis¬ tration is voluntary. Table 25, on page 78, shews, in age groups, the number of new registrations of blind persons since 1950. {See also “ Handicraft Class ” and “ Holiday Scheme,” on page 76).