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
Kensington and Chelsea 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington & Chelsea Borough]
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responsible under this new arrangement included the new City of Westminster and the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The Coroner had expressed a wish that all bodies in
his new area should go to the mortuary at Westminster, and the Westminster City Council
agreed that this arrangement would be advantageous to all concerned. The Westminster City
Council were already in the process of reorganising their Horseferry Road mortuary, but in
view of the extra requirements they decided to carry out a more extensive development of
the Horseferry Road site to allow for an enlarged Coroner's Court and mortuary.
The Council agreed to conform with the new arrangement.
Details of the number of Kensington and Chelsea casesadmitted during 1965 to the Hammersmith and Westminster mortuaries are as follows:-
| Hammersmith Mortuary | 127 | (27 inquests) |
| Westminster Mortuary | 429 | (128 inquests) |
| Total: | 556 | (155 inquests) |
MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
It had been the practice for many years both at Kensington and Chelsea for all
employees appointed by the Councils to have a medical examination before they were
admitted to the superannuation funds. This was not a requirement of the Superannuation
Acts, but a decision by the local authority. In view of the large number of staff either
to be appointed from the London County Council before 1st April, 1965, or transferred from
the County Council on that date, it was decided by the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelsea to discontinue for all employees the requirement of the existing authorities of a
medical examination before appointment.
In order to safeguard the position, however, a questionnaire has been produced
and this is sent to applicants for posts. If the reply received indicates the necessity for a
medical examination this is arranged.
1. PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION OF QUESTIONNAIRE
No. of medical examinations carried out 41
2. SINCE INTRODUCTION OF QUESTIONNAIRE ON 1st APRIL, 1965
| No. of forms received of these - | 376 |
| No. referred for medical examination | 68 |
| No. failing to pass | 7 |
| No. referred for further opinions | 9 |
| No. referred for re-examination within 12 months | 5 |
In addition, 23 members of the Council's staff who had been on prolonged sick
leave were medically examined and 19 medical examinations were carried out at the request
of other local authorities.
IMMIGRATION
Since the mid 1950's immigration has brought with it increasing social, health
and political problems and Kensington has been one of the London Boroughs closely involved.
As the latest census report (1961) shows, approximately 22 per cent, of the population has
been born outside the British Isles; namely 47,667persons out of 218,528 and insome wards
in North Kensington almost every third person is an immigrant. Equal numbers, over 5,000
each, come from Asia and the Caribbean area with more than 3,000 from Africa.