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VII.—PUBLIC HEALTH CENTRE.
General.
The new public health centre in Grange Road was officially
opened on Saturday, November 7th, and the completion of this
project has been, of course, an event of great interest to the staff
and to the members of both committees. That it has also been a
matter of interest to a very much wider circle, is evidenced by the
number of visits which have been made by many people from
different parts of the country. In September 1927 Dr. King
Brown submitted to the Maternity and Child Welfare Committee
a report on the question of providing a "Consultative and Treatment
Centre for Sick Children" in the borough. This matter
was under consideration for some time, and Dr. King Brown's
report was followed by a further report on the same subject by
myself in November 1928, when a site in Tower Bridge Road was
suggested as being suitable for the purpose. There were many
difficulties to be overcome, and this site was ultimately abandoned
in favour of the Grange Road site which in many ways was more
suitable. After vicissitudes innumerable, it was finally decided
to erect the new building on the site of the houses Nos. 108, 109,
110 Grange Road, in which the Tuberculosis Service, Solarium,
Dental Clinic and Infant Welfare Services were then being carried
on. This decision was only made possible by the fact that these
old houses had long gardens, and by the willingness of the General
Manager, Mr. W. E. Baker, to undertake to carry out this task
without serious interference with the work of these clinics. This
he did with a remarkable degree of success, and I think that not
only Mr. Baker, but the whole of his staff employed on this building
are to be congratulated upon a very fine achievement. The plans
for the building were drawn by the Council Architect, Mr. H.
Tansley, and I am sure that the members of the Council, equally
with the staff of the Public Health Department, feel a legitimate
pride in the admirable building which has been erected.