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sanitary administration and the practice of preventive medicine can be
applied. This in itself tends to eliminate problems which might arise
if there were three separate departments with three separate heads,
and local difficulties can be more easily ironed out with resulting benefit
to all sections of the work.
Of the advantages, however, perhaps the most obvious are
those which concern those aspects of the work which are partly
the responsibility of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and
partly of the London County Council. In the control of infectious
diseases, for example, particularly outbreaks in schools and day nurseries,
the Borough Council has the main responsibility as the authority charged
with the prevention of infectious diseases, but the London County
Council is also concerned in that the infectious disease occurred in one
of their institutions. By having one person responsible for both, there
is only one guiding hand and both authorities' officers can be employed
as may be necessary in conjunction or separately to the best effect. We
have had examples during the year where the arrangements have been
found most effective.
Another example is in the care of old people, where the statutory
responsibilty for the removal of an old person to hospital rests on the
Borough Council, whereas much of the other responsibility in relation to
their health and welfare rests on the London County Council. Here
again with one person in charge, it has been possible to effect the very
closest liaison with, I think, material benefit to the old person concerned.
Again in the matter of housing, both authorities are concerned, particularly in recommendations on medical or health grounds, and undoubtedly
this work is much facilitated under the present arrangements. These
are but a few examples of how the two separate services can be closely
integrated under the present system.
An efficient public health and preventive medical service is essentially a team service, and probably the team spirit i£ more vital in the
system operating in Battersea than in any other system. Undoubtedly
the greatest single factor in making for success in this form of administration is an abundance of good-will and a determination by all persons
at both committee and officer level, to make the system work through a
community of effort. It is most gratifying to be able to report that I
have experienced nothing but the greatest keenness by everybody to
ensure the success of this venture
I should like to record the great help and encouragement I have
personally received from the members of the Battersea Borough Council,
especially the members of the Battersea Health Committee and, in
particular, from the two Health Committee Chairmen under whom I
have served, namely Alderman Miss E.A.Coles, j.p., and Councillor
Mrs. E.A.Cooper, j.p. I should like to say how much I have appreciated
and valued the great deal of help, encouragement, and kindly advice
which has always been forthcoming at member level. In like measure,
the Chief Officers and the Senior Officers of Battersea have done everything
to make my first year in the Borough a happy and successful
one, and if I mention Mr. R.G.Berry, o.b.e., the Town Clerk, separately.
it is because inevitably I have been most closely in touch with himThen
the officers and staff of the Health Department in all sections and
all grades have rendered me yeoman service and every member has