View report page

Health Department,
227/233, Commercial Road,
Stepney, E.l.
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS
OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year has been one of consolidation following the convulsions of the first fully
operational year of the new borough, It is a pleasure to report that the department
settled down to work as a more integrated team after the upheavals associated with the
forced union of public health sections from four different authorities.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Full details are given in the main body of the report on page 15 . As has been
observed elsewhere, the incidence of scabies shows an increase over the last few years.
Whilst this is no longer notifiable since the repeal of the County of London Scabies
Order 1943 in April 1965, control was simplified by the close liaison of the Council's
cleansing station staff with general practitioners and hospital staff reporting cases.
Similar intensive work with schoolchildren and young persons has contained the rising
rate of infestation with head lice - a sore reflection of poor personal hygiene
s tandards.
A minor outbreak of Sonne dysentery occurred in a day nursery, and there were
sporadic cases in some nursery and infant schools.
Tuberculosis notifications show an encouraging decline over the year. A high
incidence continues to be found in the immigrant population of the borough, and also
associated with persons in the lodging houses which abound in the area. Hopes for the
future of further drastic reductions in morbidity and mortality are high if the proven
methods of full investigation of each case, and the contacts, are scrupulously carried out.
STAFF
Whilst staffing difficulties, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in certain
categories have not been overcome entirely no critical insurmountable problems were
encountered. The Council has been generous in its support of training facilities, and
in the case of the chronically scarce grades of health visitors and public health
inspectors, the department is sponsoring for training each year more students per capita
than the average London borough. However, the trend continues for newly trained staff to
be enticed away to other areas within a short time of obtaining their qualifications,
2.