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The regional hospital board favours 'association' of their hospitals where required for
the teaching of undergraduate students, without loss of administrative control. The
local general practitioners are anxious not to lose the existing facilities allowing
easy access of patients to the local non-teaching hospitals which have operated successfully
as district hospitals for many years. The Borough Council is on record in favour
of closer integration of the area health services by the encouragement of health centre
types of practice; linking its own services with the general practitioners working in
groups. The future may ultimately bring a combined approach of the hospital, executive
council, and local health authority services perhaps in the manner foreshadowed in the
Area Health Board concept of the 'Porritt Report' 1962, - replacing the numerous liaison
committees and meetings now attempting to facilitate harmonious working of a tripartite
national health service.
DERELICT SITES
This topic is of perennial concern but one which fortunately does decrease proportionately
with the years. Despite the efforts of departments of the Council, unsightly
and unhygienic conditions continue to exist in parts of the borough often accentuated
by inadequate fencing failing to prevent fly-tipping and trespassing. 'Meth drinkers'
have become associated with these sites particularly on the western side of the borough.
Reports on their activities are exaggerated but there is a great social nuisance' occasioned
from these small schools of vagrants. This has led to a reaction by local residents in
the formation of a 'Tower Hamlets Clean Up' campaign. The Spitalfields area is one focus
of concentration of these undesirable elements. Whilst Cable Street is now being developed
its former unsalubrious aspects are being transferred to the environs of Brick Lane.
The process is the repetition of a familiar pattern that socially depressed areas in which
slum property is intermixed with industrial, commercial activities together with a few
lodging houses existing therein, will always proceed in a vicious spiral downward. If
this extreme western section could be cleared and redeveloped without dispersing the
problems to adjacent parts the major black spot of the borough would be eradicated.
Vagrant elements, a floating population originating from outside the borough, cease to
congregate in newly developed areas, and new arrivals of the same type would no longer be
encouraged following the removal of the adverse environment in which they can at present
find a precarious existence. There is a school of thought which argues that the social
deviant should be rehabilitated at a place where he comes to rest. The Council has been
unable fully to support this view, and would favour rehabilitation facilities outside
the borough rather than that to its other manifold problems there should be added care
and rehabilitation of the social flotsam and jetsam from many parts of the country.
Various bodies, church and voluntary agencies, continue with specific projects to assist
this small group of misfits. The reception centre section of the Ministry of Social
Security, whose nearest hostel is in South London, has begun sending transport nightly
into inner London areas known to have vagrants congregating on sites. Any such in need
is offered free transport and a night's lodging at the centre, with provision of the
Ministry's rehabilitation services to those wishing to avail themselves of the same.
4.