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
Hampstead 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]
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with the aim of seeking their cooperation in the provision of these
facilities.
The following table shows the position at the conclusion of the first survey:-
| Type of Amenity | No. of unsatisfactory lettings | % of unsatisfactory lettings |
|---|---|---|
| Inadequate provision of bath/showers | 51 | 13. 35 |
| Absence of hot water supply | 117 | 30, 06 |
| Absence of cold water supply | 66 | 17. 28 |
| Inadequate provision of sinks | 60 | 15. 70 |
| Insufficient W, C, accommodation | 32 | 8. 37 |
| Inadequate food storage facilities | 156 | 40. 84 |
| Inadequate or unsuitable space heating | ||
| facilities | 32 | 8. 37 |
Informal action was instituted forthwith and I have been most
agreeably impressed with the response thereto. The question of the
provision of a hot water supply particularly, is one which I anticipate
would be the subject of some contention, but this did not appear to be
the case. The main problemsin this connection have been associated
with elderly tenants who felt unable to cope with the intricacies of
modern hot water fitments.
In two cases , the owners were prepared to provide bathrooms
but tenants have been unwilling to\ have them. Generally, we have
not been able to make much progress with th$ provision of bathrooms
owing to tenants having to relinquish part of their accommodation in
order to provide the necessary room for a bath.
One of the difficulties in encouraging owners of tenement
properties to apply for Improvement Grants is the problem of grant
for a bathroom which must be "for the exclusive use of one particulai
family". No Grant is available where bathrooms are shared.
On overcrowding, thirteen cases were reported, six being
from one house well known to the Department as being a "clearing
house" for Asian immigrants. All the cases were dealt with by the