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35
Infant Welfare Centres.
Under the Scheme approved by the Minister of Health, in pursuance
of the Local Government Act, 1929, the Borough Council made
a grant of £725 per annum to the Hampstead Council of Social
Welfare in respect of the Maternity and Child Welfare work carried
out by them. The Maternity and Child Welfare Committee, having
received application for an additional annual grant from the Hampstead
Council of Social Welfare for the purpose of carrying on the
infant welfare work under the existing scheme, caused a thorough
investigation of the position to be made by a Special Sub-Committee,
which had the advantage of the advice of Dr. Turnbull of the Ministry
of Health and of a comprehensive report by myself. The Sub-Committee
considered whether it was desirable, having regard to certain
disadvantages which existed by way of lack of co-ordination, to continue
the then existing arrangement at the increased expenditure, or
whether a more satisfactory and efficient means of discharging the
Borough Council's liability to maintain efficiency and progress could
not be obtained by an entire revision of the system and the taking
over by the Borough Council of the Infant Welfare Centres. They
also considered a suggestion that the Toddlers' Clinic then being held
every two months at the Health Institute, Kingsgate Road, by the
Council of Social Welfare should also be taken over and the number
of sessions increased, and for a Clinic also to be established on the
eastern side of the Borough. The suggestions provided for the
retention of the invaluable services given by lady helpers to the
Council of Social Welfare.
As regards the Dental Clinics, the Sub-Committee's opinion was
that the work at present performed by the Dental Clinic of the Council
of Social Welfare at the Health Institute, Kingsgate Road, and that
of the Borough Council at Pond Street, could well be performed at a
total cost equal to that incurred in respect of the Borough Council's
present clinic alone, at a Municipal Clinic to be held in the centre of
the Borough at the Public Health Station, Lithos Road, Finchley
Road, and that the Borough Council should take over the whole of
these dental services.
Thorough discussion on the subject and investigation of the
matter took place by the Committee, who had an exchange of views