View report page

CLEAN AIR
The Council's Clean Air programme has continued according to plan and No. 8 Smoke Control
Order has been made by the Council and confirmed by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
The usual public meeting was held to give residents an early opportunity to ask questions
and air grievances, if any. The meeting was under the Chairmanship of Councillor Mrs. F.C. Pusey,
M.R.S.H., Chairman of the Health Committee, and the panel of experts present to answer questions
consisted of representatives from the Fulham Power Station, The London Electricity Board, the
North Thames Gas Board and the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation.
TRAINING OF PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
This authority has, since 1954, operated a scheme for the "in service' training of Public
Health Inspectors, During the nine years the scheme has operated a total of 16 pupils have been
accepted and 10 duly qualified. Of these 10, none unfortunately has remained permanently with the
department after qualification. This problem of drift away from those authorities providing training
is a common one and a cause sometimes of resentment on the part of authorities which incurexpenditure
on training inspectors only to lose them to employers who do not. In the light of recent
events it is of interest to look closer into the arrangements for the training of Public Health
Inspectors.
Prior to 1961, a Public Health Inspector's training for the official certificate occupied two
years. In 1961 a Diploma was introduced for which four years" study is required. Under the old
regulations most of the entrants to the Public Health Inspectorate came from clerical staff in local
government health or surveyor's departments, or from the building trade. Under the new arrangements,
provided they hold the requisite pass in certain subjects in G.C.E., pupils may be enrolled
straight from school.
In Fulham, out of 11 students studying under the old regulations, 7 were successful in their
final examination at their first attempt, 3 at the second and one at the third. The results, however,
have been very different under the Diploma Regulations where of 3 students, one has failed the
Intermediate examination, one has been referred in part and one resigned before sitting the examination.
It would appear that there is something radically wrong somewhere with the present day
arrangements. Either the type of applicant we are now getting, who is younger than previously, is
unable to benefit from the training he receives, or the training programme is not suited to his needs
and ability. As regards the former, students are at present selected by the Medical Officer of
of Health and the Chief Public Health Inspector and appointed on the staff of the Health Department
in the General Division. It is very questionable whether Medical Officers of Health and
Chief Public Health Inspectors are the persons best fitted to ascertain whether an applicant
is academically and temperamentally suitable for undertaking and benefiting from a 4-year course
of training.
There is no doubt that at present entry to the training scheme, due to a national shortage of
public health inspectors, is often easy and offers little or no competition. Any applicant with the
requisite minimum G.C.E. passes is almost assured of acceptance but the possession of the
requisite minimum G.C.E. subjects is, however, little guide to a person's academic capacity, as
applicants often obtain their G.C.E. passes one subject at a time. Depending on age and G.C.E
examination passes, the student can enter his training with a salary of £490 per annum or even
more, with increments assured each year. His fees and expenses are also paid, in part at least
For much of the four years he spends only one day per week at a technical college, the rest of
the time being spent either studying in the Health Department, or accompanying public health
inspectors on their daily work.
This method of selection and training is not, in my opinion, efficient, nor fair to the pupil,
nor to the local authority which is footing the bill. I am critical of arrangements whereby a pupil is
given only one day per week of formal instruction with qualified teachers and the rest of his time