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17
operatives interchangeable . It is not anticipated that there
will be any appreciable increase in the work of rodent control
but the interchangeability removes some of the difficulties
which arise from the sickness of staff and during annual
holidays.
Some changes have also been made in the form and
number of records which are kept in the department primarily for
the purpose of allowing a more complete analysis which will, it
is hoped, give fuller information on the trends in public health
and so indicate those matters which should receive increased
attention and allow of some intelligent anticipation of the
staff and their duties to meet these needs. It should also
indicate those duties or services which appear to require an
excessive amount of time or work for the results achieved. It
is also intended that the amount of clerical work which the
Inspectors have to carry out will be reduced.
The extent to which changes can be made in the
number of records kept and the form in which they are recorded
is limited to some extent by the legal requirements, and it
is necessary to ensure that the records are not so altered as
to prevent comparison with former years.
In the first half of the year there was one vacancy
in the establishment of public health inspectors and advertisement
did not produce a suitable candidate. Later the vacancy
was filled by the appointment of one of the Council's trainees
who successfully sat for the qualifying examination.
For some years the Public Health Department was
housed in property at 33, Lancaster Grove, the lease for which
expired. The Department was transferred in March, 1957 to
premises at 98a, Avenue Road, N.W.3. This building, which
stands on the site acquired by the Council for the erection
of a new Civic Centre, was formerly used as a nurses home for
the St. Columba's Hospital, which is now transferred to The
Elms, Spaniards Road. The building required a minimum of
adaptation and is much more conveniently situated for the public,
being on a number of bus routes and on the Bakerloo Underground
line.