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PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES:
A feature of the Personal Health Services during the year were the continuing
efforts to improve and increase liaison between the Authorities' Health Visitors and
the Hospital and General Practitioner services. These met with considerable success.
Similarly, the Authorities' domiciliary midwives increasingly saw their ante-natal
patients with the general practitioner-obstetricians concerned, either in the
doctors' surgeries, or in Local Authority premises. The domiciliary midwives attended
women confined in general obstetric beds at St. Mary Abbots and Queen Charlotte's
Hospitals.
Quite apart from in-service training of student health visitors, district
nurses and so on, the Personal Health Services in Hammersmith received a great deal
of attention from visitors both from this country and overseas.
The National Health Service, (Family Planning) Act, 1967, was fully implemented
by the Council from 1st. January, 1969, through comprehensive agency arrangements
with the Family Planning Association.
The multi-disciplinary approach to the assessment of handicapped children and
their continuing care received consideration during the year. The administrative
machinery which exists in Hammersmith to facilitate the early diagnosis and ascertainment
of handicap is outlined in this Report.
HEALTH EDUCATION:
The Council's permanent Health Education Exhibition continued to receive a
great deal of attention during the year. The Exhibition is a basis, not only for
the Health Education work of the Health Education Officer, the Health Visitors, and
the Public Health Inspectors, but also serves to publicise the various facilities
and services which are available through the Council's Community Services. As a
Founder-Member of the Medical Council on Alcoholism Ltd. your Medical Officer of
Health was extremely pleased that one of the major campaigns approved by the Council
during the year was directed to this important socio-medical condition.
In the field of Dental Health Education, as in regard to Health Education generally,
the contribution made by this Authority is continuing to be well recognised.
PREMISES:
A Special Care Unit was opened in April, 1969, thus filling a very real need
for the day care of some fifteen severely-handicapped children. The Unit has not
only given much-needed support to parents looking after their children at home; it
has, as a result of the devoted work of the staff, been of real benefit to individual
children,
In June, 1969, a modern purpose-built home for the elderly became available as
a replacement for places previously occupied in a large former Part III institution.
Oak Tree House provides accommodation for some sixty persons in a beautiful setting
in Wimbledon.
In the latter part of the year, in line with the Council's policy of providing
a comprehensive Chiropody Service, an Appliance Laboratory was set up at the
Council's Foot Clinic in Fulham Road for the use of the Council's Chiropodists.
CONCLUSION:
Sincere thanks are again due to the Chairmen and Members of the various
Committees of the Council for their continued interest in the Community Services.
As in former years, the Town Clerk and the other Chief Officers, as well as their
respective staffs, were most helpful, and this was greatly appreciated.
Thanks to the understanding and helpful guidance of Dr. A.B.Stewart, Medical
Adviser to the Greater London Council and the Inner London Education Authority, the
apparently -complex arrangements £pr the administration oi£ the. Sohool .Health
Service in Inner London have continued to work well and it has been a pleasure, in
my capacity as Principal School Medical Officer, to be associated with this. I am
grateful to Dr.Stewart and his staff for their very valuable help on many occasions.
I should like to thank also the Public Analyst, the Consultant Chest Physicians,
and the Consultant Venereologist, for their co-operation and advice and, in particular,
for their contributions to this Report. Similarly, the medical profession generally
in the Borough have earned the gratitude of the Council's medical staff and
myself for their helpful and co-operative attitude to the Department.
Particularly heavy demands were made on the staff of the Community Services as
the result of the deliberations of the Wcrrking Party and Study Group which reviewed
the service'during 1969.
I am most grateful to all the staff of the Community Services for their tremendous
contribution throughout the year.
I have the honour to be, Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
A.D.C.S. CAMERON,
Medical Officer of Health and Director of Community Services.
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