London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Bexley 1965

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bexley]

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Continued from previous page...

19651966196719681969
Child Minders1413912223
No. of Places128198172101495
Playgroups--223042
No. of Places--6909081286

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PLAY GROUPS
At two Child Welfare Clinics — Wrotham Road, Welling and Ellenborough Road, North Cray —
mothers clubs are running play groups on mornings when the clinic premises are not otherwise in
use. The authority provides the premises, heating and lighting, free of charge. At Ellenborough
Road Child Welfare Clinic on two mornings a week, a special group of mainly physically handicapped
infant children is accommodated for play activities under a trained nursery nurse and this
has proved not only therapeutic for the children but a great aid to the medical officer for assessment
of the future needs of these children. Suitable mentally handicapped children are also
accepted into the play groups when necessary.
At the end of 1969 there were 36 children (aged between 3 and 5 years) attending the Wrotham
Road group and 7 children (aged between 31/2 and 5 years) attending the Ellenborough Road group.
PREMATURE INFANTS

Table: The number of premature infants born each year to residents of the Borough, together with other relevant information, is given in the following table : —

The number of premature infants born each year to residents of the Borough, together with other relevant information, is given in the following table : —

19651966196719681969
(a) Born at home132526113
(b) Born in hospital154211224193189
Premature stillbirth2330313323

Table: The numbers of illegitimate children born each year were : —

The numbers of illegitimate children born each year were : —

1965 (9 months only)1966196719681969
153169187178165

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ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN
From 1965 to 1967 there was a home with places for 20 unmarried expectant mothers at
Oakhurst, Lesney Park Road, Erith, under the aegis of the Centerbury & Rochester Diocesan
Council for Social Work. The Home was next door to Hainault Maternity Hospital, Erith, where
the girls were confined; a most convenient arrangement. The Borough Council assisted financially.
The Home was closed at the end of December 1967.
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