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of large quantities of food for consumption, mainly by Londoners,
arriving at Greenwich wharves from abroad.
Both the previous local councils, now united in the London
Borough of Greenwich, had always been in the forefront of progressive
health authorities and, within the new area, this forward
looking attitude persists and all aspects of health, welfare and
social work, both personal and environmental, are amply covered.
These range from the normal maternity, child welfare and school
health services, to the usual general practitioner and hospital
services, and from the useful municipally-run chiropody clinics
to the special maternity, paedriatric, geriatric, thoracic and neurosurgical
units based at local hospitals of which there are twelve.
With such a close connection as Woolwich has with the army it
was almost inevitable that one of these establishments, the Royal
Herbert, should be a military hospital. This latter hospital, opened
in 1866, owes its existence to the efforts of Florence Nightingale
and her friend Lord Herbert (Secretary of War) following the
Crimean War. In close proximity to this hospital's present location
the Army is in the process of building a new complex to replace
the existing one and to which the Millbank headquarters will, in
due course, be transferred.
Comprehensive Borough Community Care services include 7
modern, purpose-built "Old People's Homes" and future plans
provide for further "small home" accommodation. To overcome
urgent and unexpected crises, a Reception Centre gives shelter to
homeless families and a Main Unit caters for the more intractable
cases.
At 3 Combined Centres and several voluntarily supported clubs,
social rehabilitation of persons with differing physical and mental
handicaps is promoted by tuition, training and the introduction of
pastime activities. Blind people are offered a service of Braille and
"talking" books obtained from the National Library for the Blind
and allied organisations, and sheltered employment is provided at
the Greenwich Workshops for the Blind where mattresses, baskets
and "fend-offs" are manufactured. Substantial assistance is given to
the severely mentally handicapped child by the Borough's modern,
specially designed "Junior Centre", shortly to be transferred to the
Local Education Authority, and older persons in this category
are encouraged to become self-supporting at the Council's
3 Industrial Training Centres. A recently opened Hostel caters for
the long and short term care of 25 subnormal girls and boys
between the ages of 3 and 16 years. Adults are shortly to be
provided with a similar establishment.
Sixty-five "Old People's Clubs", each of which receives a little
financial assistance from the Council, cater for the elderly residents