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
Hammersmith 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hammersmith Borough]
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Fulham Training Centre is housed in a prefabricated building which, it is hoped, will
eventually be rebuilt on its present site.
Day Centres and Hostel for the Mentally III.
There is a great need in the Borough for Day Centres and a Hostel for the Mentally Ill.
To deal with the immediate problem a Day Centre for 25 patients is shortly to be opened in the
building previously used as a Community Centre at the Emlyn Gardens Estate in Shepherd's
Bush. It is hoped to incorporate a 30 - place Hostel, and another Day Centre, in the Star Road
Development Area.
Development of Local Authority Health and Welfare Services.
Circular 14/65 from the Ministry of Health referred to the plans prepared by local authorities
in 1962 and 1963 for the long-term development of their health and welfare services, and to
Circular 10/65 which gave advance warning of a request for a further revision of plans. The
Ministry requested that summaries of the revised plans should be submitted not later than 30th
November, 1965. The decade to be covered in the revision was to run from 1st April, 1966, to
31st March, 1977.
In accordance with the Ministry's request the 10 - year development plan for the health and welfare services was formulated and forwarded to the Ministry, making provision for the following proposals:-
| Health | Welfare |
|---|---|
| 9 Health Centres | 3 Homes for the Aged |
| 2 Day Centres for the Mentally Ill | 2 Holiday Homes |
| 1 Hostel for the Mentally Ill | 6 Luncheon Clubs/Day Centres |
| 2 Training Centres for the Mentally Subnormal (adult) * | 9 Temporary Accommodation |
| 1 Home for the Disabled | |
| 1 Training Centre for the Mentally Subnormal (junior) * | 1 Home for the Elderly Mentally Infirm |
| 1 Hostel for Tuberculous Men * | 1 Mother and Baby Home |
| (* Replacements included) | 2 Centres for Blind and Other Handicapped persons |
The principal feature of the proposals for the health service is the creation of nine health
centres. These will be spread throughout the Borough, each to serve an average population of
25,000; with one exception they will be all-purpose units providing the following functions.-
(a) Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic.
(b) General Practitioners.
(c) School Health
(d) Day Nursery.
(e) Family Planning and Geriatric Clinics.
(f) Facilities for Social Workers.
(g) Residential Accommodation for Caretaker.
(h) Car Parking.
Apart from financial considerations, the principal problem in implementing these proposals
in a London Borough, where land is so scarce and valuable, is in obtaining suitable
sites; and although the proposals have been spread over the 10-year period according to their
priority, as required by the Ministry, the timing of the projects is governed by the availability
of sites.
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