asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he has any proposals for the amelioration of the hardships being suffered by patients discharged from tuberculosis sanatoria and returned to homes, without sufficient means, food or clothing, to enable them to retain the benefits of the sanatorium treatment; and if he will consider providing that each sanatorium, under the auspices of a local authority, shall appoint after-care almoners to see that discharged patients and their families will not suffer through lack of necessary food, clothing or shelter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of Almoners.
I would refer the Deputy to the Debates (column 1371) of the 28th October, 1948. When introducing the Vote for my Department on that date I made a full statement in regard to the provision of special assistance in the present financial year for persons undergoing domiciliary or dispensary treatment or who have received sanatorium treatment, and the provision of facilities for the segregation in their own homes of tuberculous patients, including separate beds, and bedding. In the case of necessitous patients undergoing treatment in institutions, the arrangements included the provision of suitable clothing outfits such as underwear, overcoats, boots and shoes so that the patients may be able to benefit fully from their stay in the institution. These measures are to be given effect to in Dublin at once.
As regards the latter part of the question the doctors and nurses employed by local authorities in connection with the treatment of tuberculosis possess full knowledge of the circumstances of all classes of patients dealt with under these schemes so that in these cases the employment of almoners does not seem to be justified.