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Health Department,
Municipal Offices,
Castle House,
2 Walworth Road,
S.E.1.
ToThe Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
London Borough of Southwark.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour of presenting my Annual Report on the Health Services of the
London Borough of Southwark for the year 1969.
1969 was an eventful year during which time we had the satisfaction of seeing some
of the efforts of our earlier year's planning and hard work reach fruition. At the initial
stage of planning any project, it is often difficult to envisage the many set backs likely to
be encountered along the line, despite the application of the many modern planning
techniques now being used.
The mental health complex on the Grange Tannery site was completed during
the year. This was the largest capital investment project yet undertaken by the
Health Committee, and it was found necessary from time to time to amend the original
planning brief to meet the changing needs within the field of mental health. The Crispin
House complex provides a training centre for mentally sub-normal adults, a day centre and
hostel for elderly mentally infirm and a hostel for mentally sub-normal youths. With the
likelihood of changes in the not too distant future within the local authority social
services, it is hoped that the firm foundation laid by the local health authority within the
sphere of the social services will be appreciated by those who will be appointed responsible
for their future development.
During the year I was able to report on the findings of the first year's work of the
pilot health survey of the general public by means of a mobile health clinic, to which I
briefly referred in my last year's Annual Report. (The survey is reported fully on pages
37—45 of the report). It is evident from the interest shown at home and overseas, following
the publication of my report, that much more will be heard of this very important sphere
of preventive medicine in the future.
Under the Government's Urban Programme, the Council was successful in its application
for additional infant welfare clinic facilities. Also within the Programme, a grant of
£30,000 was made available for encouraging the setting up of playgroups within the
Borough, and an additional £2,000 for the salary of a Playgroup Organiser. The proposals
put forward in connection with the developments within the Borough were seen by the
Home Office as a pioneer scheme indicating the extent to which a local health authority
might develop a full range of voluntary effort within a community in the field of pre-school
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