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
Greenwich 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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168
Great emphasis is therefore placed on visiting by highly qualified
officers. The relationships established by the visitors with the old
people influence the attitude which the elderly adopt to our efforts
made to help and assist them and the first visits or contacts can
make the difference between success and failure.
Visits made during 1967 amounted to 16,207, a fall of one-third
from those of the previous year. This is accounted for partly by the
shortage of qualified staff and partly by reorganisation teething
troubles. Because of staff shortages, priority had to be afforded to
the homebound and those considered to be at risk.
| Number in Register at 1st January, 1967 | 9,006 |
| Number in Register at 31st December, 1967 | 9,340 |
| (i) Blind | 310 |
| (ii) Partially Sighted | 150 |
| (iii) Physically Handicapped | 603 |
| 1,063 | |
| Total Visits by Officers during year | 16,207 |
| 1st Visits | 971 |
| Subsequent Visits | 12,310 |
| Unsuccessful Visits | 2,926 |
| British Red Cross Society | 14 |
| Chest Clinics | 13 |
| Church or Club | 78 |
| District Nurses | 85 |
| Chiropody Clinic | 89 |
| Chiropody Clinic Domiciliary Service | 180 |
| General Medical Practitioners | 160 |
| Borough Department:— | |
| Housing | 277 |
| Public Health Inspectors | 53 |
| Home Help | 443 |
| Blind Welfare | 14 |
| Mental Welfare | 50 |
| Physically Handicapped Welfare | 48 |
| Old People's Holidays | 541 |