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FAMILY PLANNING
Population control is one of the most important problems of public health today. It has
been calculated that for the United Kingdom the annual increase of population is, on average
over recent years, more than a quarter of a million persons. Within this borough live births
exceeded deaths by an average of 1,167 in each of the last 4 years. Fortunately, the local
increase in past years has been cushioned by an annual outward migration of population,
consequent on redevelopment and rehousing. Nevertheless, as charity begins at home so does the
responsibility of all of us for endeavouring to equate, as far as humanly possible, birth rate
with death rate if life is to be lived with dignity and grace in the world of the future.
Consent for the implementation, in full, of the provisions of the National Health Service
(Family Planning) Act 1967, by the Council, has enabled an expansion in the local Family
Planning Association clinics now run on an agency basis for the borough council. Family
planning advice and help by local health authority staff, in the setting of routine welfare
clinics, is also in operation. In addition our domiciliary family planning service continued
over the last year under the guidance of amedical officer and health visitor. The aim must be,
in conjunction with the hospital and general practitioner services, to provide ultimately a
comprehensive service to all seeking assistance.
CRUDE SPIRIT DRINKING
The report of the Working Party on Habitual Drunken Offenders, for which the Council gave
evidence, was still awaited at the end of the year. As an earnest of the good intentions of the
local authority, further means are being sought to alleviate the problem of crude spirit
drinking within its area. Towards the latter part of the year discussions were held with the
Salvation Army - an organisation founded in the borough 100 years ago, and still represented
with 3 hostels including the new centenary building extension, Booth House, opened by H.M. the
Queen in March 1968. A special medical unit forms part of the new building. In conjunction
with the Medical Adviser, Salvation Army, a pilot scheme seeking to rehabilitate selected
persons in the category of crude spirit drinkers was planned by the Council to come into
operation as from April 1969. Financial support is to be given to the unit at Booth House where
assessment of cases will be made. Suitable cases will be sent for rehabilitation to a Salvation
Army home in the country, with financial support by the Council under its 'prevention, care and
after-care' powers. The co-operation of all agencies within the borough working with this needy
group is to be sought in the venture. It is difficult to please everybody all the time,
particularly perhaps in local government, so it was not surprising to read in the correspondence
column of a local paper, on this proposal, an indignant letter demanding why the body of
ratepayers should have to pay for such 'do gooding'? Not with standing, for some years a larger
and more vociferous group has been demanding why the Council did not do something in this field!
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Links between the department's mental health section and the local hospital psychiatric
services continued to be strengthened. In-service seminars at both the London and St.Clement's
Hospitals, are attended by our field staff. Towards the end of the year, it was agreed to employ
the Head Social Worker of the London Hospital, also responsible for psychiatric social work,
half-time in the Health Department. It is hoped this will facilitate further integration of
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