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62
are concerned. As regards general practitioners, while some do
already assist in Croydon, there is the real difficulty that the
mothers and children attending a typical urban centre are on the
medical lists of a number of doctors practising in the area. However
friendly their professional relationship to each other it is
more difficult for them to reconcile the advising of their patients
by another practitioner giving general medical services, than by
a local authority medical officer. One thus fails to achieve the
ideal of a single doctor dealing with both prevention and cure,
and risks the creation of unnecessary discord. This is not a
theoretical objection, the difficulty having already been met at
an ante-natal clinic to which the Corporation appointed a general
practitioner obstetrician. The solution there applied, of giving
access to all general practitioner obstetricians in the area, is not
feasible for infant welfare centres. For integration with the
family doctor service, the development of group practice seems
essential. Should this prove to be the future trend, the staffing
of infant welfare centres would necessarily change. On balance
however there seems no reason for radical changes at present.
While ruling out therefore any drastic re-organisation in the
source or quality of medical advice at infant welfare centres,
possibly the quantity might be reduced without any loss of
efficiency. At centres with relatively small attendances, frequent
medical reviews of obviously healthy infants do occur.
Reducing the attendance of the doctor at such centres to fortnightly
intervals has resulted in a 50 per cent. saving without
any apparent true weakening of the service.
HOME NURSING
This service is carried out by the Croydon District Nursing
Association, acting as agents of the Corporation. I am indebted
to the Superintendent for the following information:—
Staff at 31-12-52
Superintendent.
Deputy Superintendent.
2 Assistant Superintendents.
35 whole time Nurses (State Registered Enrolled
assistants).