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So far as the public health inspectors are concerned the position became somewhat easier
during 1966. Fourteen public health inspectors joined the City Council's staff, whilst three existing
members retired on age grounds, giving a net increase of eleven. One new inspector was one of
the City Council's students who passed his qualifying examination; the remaining thirteen were
recruited from other London Boroughs (7); the provinces (2), Scotland (1), abroad (2) and outside
local government (1). At the end of the year ten posts of public health inspector were still vacant
out of a total establishment of 59. The increase in the number of inspectors is reflected throughout
the environmental section of the Report by the larger number of inspections carried out.
In June 1966 the Department lost the services of one of its most experienced officers on the
retirement of Mr. W. G. J. Sutton, formerly Chief Public Health Inspector to the "old" City of
Westminster. Mr. Sutton joined the City Council's service in 1927, the year of the disastrous flood,
when the River Thames overflowed its banks, flooding many premises and causing many deaths in
the Millbank area. His long experience, almost 40 years in Westminster alone, and his extensive
knowledge of the City, and all facets of the work of the public health inspectors, were of inestimable
value to the successive Medical Officers of Health with whom he worked. I would like to pay a
personal tribute to the loyal help and support he gave to me as Chief Public Health Inspector of the
"old" City and in his last few months of service as Deputy Chief Public Health Inspector under the
new regime.
I also record with regret the deaths of two other long-serving members of the Health Department
staff. In January 1966, Mr. Albert Jones, a Technical Assistant to the Public Health Inspectors for
some 26 years, died suddenly whilst at home; and in June, 1966, Mr. John Brown, the Council's
Rodent Officer for 20 years died suddenly whilst on holiday in Sussex. Both had served the "old"
and the "new" City Councils faithfully and efficiently and their many friends in the Council's service
were saddened by their tragic deaths.
It is not my intention in this introduction to write in any detail of the work of the Department;
this is amply dealt with in the sections of the Report which follow. A special feature this year deals
in detail with the varied and interesting duties undertaken by the Social Workers in the Department.
If possible I hope to follow this pattern in future Reports and periodically set out in greater detail
various aspects of the Health Services provided by the City Council.
Elsewhere in the Report I draw attention to certain difficulties which arose during 1966 in arranging
admission of patients under the Mental Health Act to psychiatric hospitals. The position is complicated
by the fact that unfortunately Westminster is served by two Regional Hospital Boards, and
therefore arrangements, often the result of long and hard negotiation made with one Board or even
directly with the hospitals concerned in that Board's area, do not necessarily hold good in the parts
of the City served by the other Board.
Arranging admission of patients to psychiatric hospitals is a time-consuming duty of the mental
health social workers and one which could be obviated by the provision of a bed bureau, similar to
the Emergency Bed Service which has operated smoothly and successfully for many years in respect
of patients admitted to other hospitals. Such a bed bureau was commended by the Ministry of
Health in a circular issued at the time the Mental Health Act 1959 came into operation. The Regional
Hospital Boards serving Westminster do not at present favour the setting up of a bed bureau for
mental health patients, on the grounds that it would insert a third person between the referring
agency and the hospital, which they feel could lead to delays rather than facilitate admission. This
is an argument which has little validity if, as is held by the Boards, the present arrangements are
satisfactory in the majority of cases, since appeal to the bed bureau would only be made where
direct approach to the catchment area hospital had failed to secure a bed. I feel that I must
reiterate that in the case of the Inner London Boroughs with their special problems, only an organisation
like the Emergency Bed Service can solve the problems both of the Boards and the Boroughs.
Failing this the situation in Westminster would doubtless be eased if there existed within the City's
boundaries units for the admission and assessment of patients under the Mental Health Act with
which a close liaison could be established. In the meantime, we must continue to rely on various
hospitals situated in the Home Counties at considerable distance from the catchment areas.
May I end this Introduction by expressing my most sincere appreciation of the support and encouragement
I have received from all Members of the Council and in particular from the Chairman and
Members of the Health Committee. Without this support and encouragement the Health Department
and the health services we provide could not flourish and prosper as they have done in the past two
years.
Finally, I would record my own warmest thanks to the Chief Officers and staffs of other Departments;
and especially to the members of my own Department who have worked so loyally and
efficiently to provide a health service of which we can all be proud.
J. H. BRISCOE-SMITH
July, 1967 Medical Officer of Health