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Kingdom. At the end of January. 1966, one volunteer was attached to a health visitor
whose work is with a group practice. This proved entirely successful and continued
throughout the year. A second volunteer came to the Department in September and was
attached to the Rosemary Junior Training School. This also has been a successful
arrangement. An agreed weekly sum towards the cost of this service was paid by the
Council to the C. S. V. In addition, small weekly subsistence allowances were paid by
the Council direct to the volunteers.
HEALTH SERVICE PREMISES
Rosemary Junior Training School was opened by the Rt. Hon. Lord Taylor of Harlow,
M. D., F. R. C. P.. Medical Director, Harlow Industrial service, on 11th June 1966, in
the presence of His Worship the Mayor (Alderman A.J. Coman. J.P.) and under the
chairmanship of the Chairman of the Personal Health Committee (Councillor Mrs. D.M.S.
Simpkins, B.Sc., A.L.A.) This training centre for subnormal pupils was planned by the
former London County Council. The name was derived from pleasure gardens which existed
in the area in the 18th century. Details of the school and its work are given on
page 68.
It was possible to give detailed consideration to the long-term planning of
health service premises, which previously had been undertaken tentatively. As a
result a revised Ten-Year Plan was drawn up. Regard was had to the condition and
siting of present premises and to likely needs in the future in relation to population
and to town-planning proposals. Nine areas were envisaged in the Borough, with
populations of 20,000 - 35,000 each. Each area would have a full scale maternity and
child welfare centre and, where there were special needs, sub-centres would be
provided. Where appropriate, accommodation for general medical and dental
practitioners would be considered. Each area would also have one. day nursery, and some
would have two where the demand was high. Mental health establishments would be
located to serve the Borough as a whole, and would include three hostels (for the
mentally ill, for young subnormal persons and for adult subnormal persons), three day
training centres (one for juniors and two for adults), two day centres for mentally
ill adults and an industrial unit for mentally subnormal adults. School treatment
facilities would be included in the Plan, in consultation with the Inner London
Education Authority, including child guidance units. The Plan when ultimately
completed would give the Borough 12 maternity and child welfare centres some with
accommodation for general practitioners, 13 day nurseries with 770 places, 9 mental
health centres with 370 places, and 6 other establishments - a total of 40 health
service premises. In all there would be twenty-two new establishments, and eleven
existing unsatisfactory premises would be replaced. The Plan was agreed by the
Personal Health Committee, but for reasons of national and local economy still awaited
final Council approval at the end of the year.
Towards the end of the year, an important step forward was taken towards the
provision of a Health Centre which would accommodate a number of health services, in
accordance with Section 21 of the National Health Service Act. 1946. The London County
Council had in its capital programme envisaged a new maternity and child welfare and
school treatment centre in the south-eastern part of the former Borough of Islington.
This was to replace unsatisfactory premises which had been in use for a long time. The
new scheme was an expansion of these proposals for a site in River Place, Essex Road,
N.1. It proposed a wide range of maternity and child welfare and school health
(including dental) services, together with foot clinic, district nurse' s room and
health visitors' office. It was also decided to explore the possibility of bringing in
general medical and dental practitioners, and of establishing a child guidance unit..
The provisional estimate of cost was in the order of £160.000 (capital) and £63.000 a
year (revenue). Negotiations were in progress at the end of the year with the Inner
London Executive Council and the Local Medical Committee with regard to accommodation
for doctors and dentists, and with the Inner London Education Authority with regard to
child guidance. The latter Authority was also being consulted about the possibility of
installing another child guidance unit in a suite of rooms at the Finsbury Health
Centre, Pine Street, E.C.1. A list of establishments is set out in Appendix B.
S. KING,
Medical Officer of Health.
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