View report page

15
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Chief Public Health Inspector: E. W. PIKE, M.A.P.H.I.
Deputy Chief Public Health Inspector: V. A. BIGNELL, F.A.P.H.I., M.R.S.H.
At 31st December, 1970
Establishment In Post
Public Health Inspectors 59 (59) 56 (52)
Student Public Health Inspectors 15(15) 12(15)
Technical Assistants 28 (24) 28 (25)
WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
During 1970 it has been possible to maintain and slightly improve the numbers of public health
inspectors and technical assistants employed; moreover, there was only a small turnover of posts.
This is a matter of some satisfaction when it is realised that a large majority of the staff live outside the
City and many have long and expensive journeys to and from work. Furthermore, the strong element
of specialist work combined with the high standard of application demanded to provide the sort
of service the centre of the Capital has a right to expect, is not an inducement to recruitment when
vacancies exist in places where work stress is not so intense nor so constant, and where residential
and other fringe benefits are available.
It has also been a year when the value to the public health inspectorate of a strong nucleus of
experienced personnel has been clearly demonstrated. Without it the concentration of effort required
to impart the momentum to the phased housing programme in Paddington could not have been
achieved. Even so, the transfer of staff to this project has had repercussions on other aspects of the
inspectors' work. District inspection and the control of catering premises were particularly affected,
and although complaints were investigated with the minimum of delay, regular and consistent routine
inspections, which are the basic requirements for the effective control of shops, offices, factories,
restaurants and canteens were not maintained to the extent that is desirable in the City with its large
transient working and tourist population.
The North Westminster Project is possibly the most ambitious exercise of its kind yet undertaken
in London. Its success depends to a large extent on the efforts of the team of public health inspectors
who were seconded from other duties to this important specialist work. As the operation is principally
one to encourage improvements of a high standard by "friendly persuasion", it is necessary that
officers must not only be extremely knowledgeable in every detail of housing legislation but also
completely dedicated to the ultimate success of the Project.
The team of Inspectors and Technical Assistants headed by a Principal Public Health Inspector
also carry out the normal district duties, such as the routine investigation of complaints and rodent
control, at the same time as the main objective, namely the promotion of satisfactory improvement
schemes, is being pursued. Thus the members of the team are seen by residents to be the Council
officers involved with all the problems relative to their living accommodation, and to whom they can
look as authoritative and impartial advisers and arbiters on their housing problems, matters vital to
their comfort, and the future happiness of their children. Confidence between parties is an essential
ingredient to the success of the whole scheme.
Public Health Inspectors—Duties outside normal office hours
The need for regular inspection of itinerant food vendors and premises where visits are only
possible during the late evening, particularly at weekends, referred to in previous reports, remains a
necessary feature of effective food and food premises control. The number of contraventions of the
Food Hygiene (Markets, Stalls and Delivery Vehicles) Regulations found by the inspectors employed
on a "duty rota" basis illustrates the need to continue the arrangement. As far as the itinerant food
vendors are concerned, however, the inspectors' time and cost involved in dealing with food hygiene
contraventions, when the trading activity is unauthorised, must inevitably pose the question as to
whether more positive action to prevent the continued appearance of such traders on the streets
would not be a more economic and realistic solution.