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11
need to attend for the whole day. A number of places at St. Martin's Nursery were
set aside for children to attend for half-days (mornings or afternoons) only,
thus enabling a larger number of children to use the places available.
Consideration is being given to the extension of this practice to other suitable
day nurseries.
Partly because of lack of nursery school facilities within the Borough the
demand for part-time pre-school play group facilities continued and the number
of applications to form groups increased. The Council authorised the payment
of grants to a number of play groups which fulfilled prescribed conditions, to
assist them in their work.
In viewof the economic situation the Council decided to postpone implementation
of the National Health Service (Family Planning) Act 1967 and continued existing
arrangements with the Family Planning Association. Discussions with the
Association with a view to the provision of a domiciliary service for special cases
are however proceeding.
The cervical cytology service for the detection of early cervical cancer which
was started on a small scale in 1966 is now extended to all women living or
working in the Borough of Lambeth, where formerly it was limited to Lambeth
residents over 35 years of age. Improved laboratory facilities made this possible.
St. Thomas' Hospital was created a district hospital with special responsibility
for the medical care of the population of part of Lambeth. This development was
seen by the Hospital authorities as providing both the opportunity and the need
for investigating the demand for hospital services in this area of London. A
series of studies was projected with the object of providing information needed
for the planning of the services. The health department was asked to assist and
details of the project are contained in the body of my report.
The inter-borough arrangements with Southwark Borough Council for the
provision of a laundry service for incontinent persons continued during the year.
Plans are well in hand for the setting up of the Council's own laundry service
at Streatham Baths, which will enable Lambeth to operate directly an improved
and more extensive service.
In my report for 1966 I mentioned the problem with which the department is
faced regarding houses-in-multiple occupation, and that it was my intention to
report fully on the registration scheme which was commenced in October of that
year. This report appears on pages 93 - 9J Improvement of housing conditions
is an important function of the health department and a considerable amount of
work has been done by theinspectorate in dealing with houses-in-multiple
occupation, slum clearance and improvement grants both discretionary and
standard.