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5
Last year I referred to the fact that since the passing of the National Health Service
Act of 1946, attention has been focussed on the cure of sickness rather than on its prevention.
During the year one Medical Officer of Health likened the present position to that of a
manufacturer who found that many of his products were being returned to him owing to a
defect which was inherent in the system of manufacture. This Medical Officer of Health
wisely asked—" Would such a manufacturer set up a special department and engage staff
with the object of remedying the defective goods as they were returned to him and rest satisfied
that he was doing all that was necessary, or would he on the other hand look for the cause
of the defect and eradicate it in manufacture, thus setting up only a temporary department
to deal with the defective goods already manufactured ? "The answer is obvious and it
applies in Public Health in the same way as it does in the field of commerce. To.day we hear
much about the difficulty of obtaining admission of patients to hospital, and we are duly
distressed when this applies even to acute cases. Whilst Public Health must be prepared to
deal with illness as it arises and make available every method of cure it must aim at finding
the cause of disease, eradicating it, and thus limiting the call for hospital beds.
The Public Health Departments of local authorities are primarily charged with keeping
residents healthy and happy in their own homes. I can imagine no greater responsibility
nor one that is a greater challenge to their initiative and foresight than that of the care of
the aged, a problem of increasing importance to.day.
In these opening remarks of my Annual Report I hope to show how to some extent
this challenge has been met in the Borough of St. Pancras.
The problem of the aged has been one which has given us concern for many years, and
a determination to achieve the maximum possible improvement in the care of the aged has
resulted in the formation of a constructive policy.
It is not suggested for one moment that there were no voluntary societies in the borough
doing excellent work, for indeed there were. As in the past, however, there has been shown
a need for co.ordination and co.operation aided by financial assistance. The Council has met
this need by instigating the formation of the St. Pancras Association for the Care of the Aged.
This Association consists of 22 members, 12 nominated by the Borough Council, eight
nominated by the voluntary societies working in the borough and the General Consultant to
St. Pancras Hospital. The President is the Mayor of the borough for the time being.
The St. Pancras Association for the Care of the Aged held its first meeting in April'
1950. It set up six working committees to consider the following subjects:—
Meals.
Medical Services.
Wireless, amusements, etc.
Clubs.
Home Visiting.
Housing.
Each of these committees submitted a report. As a result thereof there has commenced
a scheme in St. Pancras which is already bearing fruit.
May I refer to a few of the achievements which have been accomplished.