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TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND OOUNCILLORS OF
THE LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM
I have the honour of presenting a report on Health Services in
Lewisham for the year 1972.
The form of this report, mainly one of statistics, is different
from that of previous years. The decision to alter the format was
taken in the light of pressure of work brought about by the
reorganisation of the National Health Service and also to achieve
some financial saving. If the report is read in conjunction with
the fuller report of 1971, a few copies of which are available, an
overall picture can be obtained of the health of the people of
Lewisham.
It is the aim of the Council to provide a continually improving
health service to residents of the Borough, thus it gives me
pleasure to write of extensions to the service.
At New Cross Hospital child health and family planning sessions are
held. I am grateful to the Governors and members of staff of
Guy's Hospital who made this development possible. It has gone
some way to meet the needs of an area of the borough poorly served
previously.
At St Catherine's Community Centre, Pepys Road, SE 4, health visitor
weekly advisory sessions are held.
A new dental surgery has opened at Malory School, Launcelot Road,
Downham.
It is encouraging to note the increased awareness and interest
shown by the public in the Family Planning Service. Since the
previous report, there have been increased attendances at the
several clinics with a resulting increase in the number of sessions
held, including a new clinic opened at Bound field Road Health Centre.
The overall increase was about 10%.
The chiropody service continues to expand both in the number of
sessions held and those attending, but it will be necessary to
continue efforts to overcome the problems of staffing and
transportation.
In the report for 1971, it gave me pleasure to write of the opening
of the Jenner Health Centre, the first of the new comprehensive
health centres programmed for the borough. The second such building
will be the Honor 0k Health Centre at Turnham Road, SE 4 and should
be functioning before this report is published.
A further five centres of various sizes are in the planning stage.
Of this number it is hoped that building work will commence during
1974 for those at Stanley Street, SE 8 and Handen Road, SE 12.
Work is planned to commence during 1975 on the centres for Upper
and Lower Sydenham and Bromley Road, SE 6.
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