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Telephone: TOWN HALL.
Riverside 3020. HAMMERSMITH. W.6.
To His Worship The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Hammersmith.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for 1962.
In my reports in previous years I have made mention of the difficulties being
experienced in undertaking many of the statutory duties laid on the Health Department, due to the shortage of Public Health Inspectors. It therefore gives me some
pleasure to report that thanks to the Council's review of the salaries of Public Health
Inspectors and to its introducing the scheme for the training of Student Inspectors,
there has been an improvement in the staff position towards the end of the year
and we are ensuring future recruitment of Inspectors through the Student Scheme.
Should the position continue to improve it is hoped to make up the lee-way
occasioned by the many years of shortage of staff.
The picture in regard to infectious diseases is fairly satisfactory. There is
a considerable decrease in notifications which has been occasioned in the main by
the very few measles cases. There was also a considerable reduction in the number
of food poisoning infections throughout the year as compared with 1961, but it
would not be wise to draw rash conclusions as the cool, wet summer of 1962, would
have inhibited the spread of infection. Also it is unfortunately true that many cases
of food poisoning are not reported to the department.
There is a significant increase in the number of illegitimate births in the
Borough, with the proportion this year being 15.5% of the total live births of
children whose parents reside in the Borough. In 1955 the proportion was 7.8%
These figures may reflect society's present attitude to morality, but one must bear in
mind that some part of this increase is due to the fact that the vastness of London,
the facilities available and the anonymity which one can obtain are all factors which
attract the unmarried pregnant woman to the capital city.
Once again there are many more deaths (572) from heart and other circulatory
diseases than from any other cause. It is perhaps encouraging that the public
conscience is now awakened to the need for more research and investigation into
the causes. Deaths from lung cancer still give cause for concern and the Council's
campaign which is described in the body of the report should have some impact
on the adolescent smoker.
The Health Department in its health education measures has found the Press
extremely co-operative and helpful and always willing to give publicity on matters
affecting the public health.