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ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
KENSINGTON, W. 8.
1st July, 1946.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Royal Borough of Kensington.
My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my annual report
on the state of the Public Health in Kensington in 1945.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
When the war ended during the period under
review, the Council found various deficiencies in their
health services. This was expected because as many as
possible of the staff had been released for war service
and those remaining gave all necessary time and attention
to civil defence duties; furthermore, buildings and equipment
used for the Council's normal functions were transferred
to civil defence wherever necessary. Indeed, with
universal accord, everything directed towards securing the
successful termination of the war received priority.
In the last months of 194 5 the Council
reviewed the position. The housing shortage claimed first
attention; but consideration was given to the needs of
the health services, particularly the maternity and child
welfare branch, with the result that long-term and shortterm
policies of the Council's needs were formulated and
finally adopted in 1946. At the present time, the Council
are awaiting the approval of the Minister of Health to their
proposals.
Death rate. The steady decline over a long
period in the number of deaths per thousand of population
was checked during the war; but for 1945 the figure was
13.5, which compares with that of 16.1 for the previous
year, and more nearly approximates to the pre-war average
of about 12. The rate for London in 1945 was 13.8.
Infant death rate. The number of deaths of
children under one year of age for every thousand births
has been falling since the beginning of the century from
the high figure of about 150. Each of the years 1943 and
1944 showed a rate of 52 which was lower than any previous
figure, and the rate for 194 5 has fallen to 49. The figure
for London in 1945 was 53.