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102
Divisional Headquarters were temporarily established at the Town Hall,
Greenwich, with sub-offices at Woolwich Town Hall, the Deptford Central M. and
C.W. Clinic, Amersham Road, and 19, Breakspears Road, S.E.4 (School Medical
Service).
On the " appointed day " the Council took over from the three metropolitan
boroughs indicated, the administration of 23 maternity and child welfare centres and
3 day nurseries as well as the after-care work in connection with 3 chest clinics, a
staff of 28 health visitors, the home help service and the provision of holiday home
care.
All the establishments and staffs concerned were found to be functioning happily
and successfully, albeit the administrative systems as between the boroughs were
widely dis-similar, particularly as regards the keeping of records, the sale of nutrients,
etc.
It was apparent from a preliminary survey of the establishments taken over that
there were instances where the abolition of borough boundaries would make possible
an improved service to the public, i.e., where patients could be given a better and
equally convenient service in an adjoining borough than was available within their
home borough. At the same time, it was realised that to embark immediately on any
large-scale plan to improve the service on these lines would militate against smooth
and harmonious assimilation. Both the staffs and the general public were found to
be loyal to the borough in which they worked and lived, and it was felt that, in the
interests of amicable relations and efficient continuity of service existing arrangements
should, as far as possible, remain undisturbed until all concerned had become less
parochial in their outlook.
In the first 6 months therefore, no revolutionary changes have been attempted,
but a start has been made and, indicative of the lines on which future improvements
are contemplated, particulars of three successful adjustments already effected are
set out below :—
1. An ante-natal clinic held in unsatisfactory accommodation at Evelyn
Baths, Clyde Street, Deptford, has been discontinued and residents in the area
formerly served by this clinic are now referred to a well-appointed welfare centre
in Creek Road, Greenwich, only a few hundred yards distant from Clyde Street.
2. The foot clinic formerly held at Creek Road M. and C.W. centre (Greenwich)
has been discontinued and the staff and equipment transferred to Harton
Street Foot Clinic (Deptford), about half a mile away. This merger has resulted
in an increase in the total number of persons treated of nearly 90 a week.
3. Of the 3 day nurseries taken over, 1 was in Greenwich (Conley Street,
S.E.10), and 2 in Deptford (Evelyn Street, S.E.8 and South Eastern Hospital,
S.E.14). The Deptford nurseries were open 6 days a week and the Greenwich
nursery only on 5 days a week. All 3 have now been put on a 5-day week basis
and their hours of opening made uniform.
In addition, vaccination sessions (5 a week) have been introduced at clinics in all
3 boroughs to meet a need created by the repeal of the Vaccination Act, and midwives'
booking sessions have been started at most welfare centres.
Mention should also be made of the very considerable expansion of the home
help service since the " appointed day."
The " go-slow " policy adopted in the matter of changes in the organisation of
the services taken over has yielded the desired results, and it gives me very great
satisfaction to be able to record that, thanks to the loyalty and co-operation of all
grades of staff, assimilation has been achieved without friction and with no interruption
of service to the public.