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available at the Eastern Hospital, and five school nursing sisters from this Division
volunteered to help in staffing them.
There was a steady decline during the year of attendance at ante-natal clinics.
The great majority of confinements in the Division take place in hospitals, due, in
many cases, to the unsuitability of the home, and in many other cases to the wish
of the mother, and there seems to be an increasing tendency for the hospitals to
take over the complete ante-natal care of cases booked with them.
The home help service continued in popularity and we managed to expand
it slightly during the year. We have still room for further expansion within our
financial limits, but recruitment is not now so brisk as it had been.
In July a pleasant little ceremony was held at the new Christian Street day
nursery to mark its formal opening. This project for a day nursery was initiated and
well advanced by the Stepney Borough Council before the appointed day, and its
completion enabled us to transfer the children from the rather cramped temporary
accommodation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, Shadwell, and so
release much needed hospital space for normal ward purposes.
During the year a useful link was forged between the local health and hospital
services. By arrangement with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children an assistant
medical officer from the divisional staff visits the hospital for one session weekly in
the capacity of clinical assistant in the out-patient department, while the Hospital,
in return, supplies the services of a Registrar for one infant welfare clinic weekly.
This liaison could be usefully extended if more full-time medical officers were available
on the divisional staff.
Division 6, comprising the boroughs of Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich.
Dr. F. R. Waldron reports:—
During this, the first complete year of the Council's administration of the
personal health services, the twin features of continued consolidation and limited
progress were each apparent. The Divisional Health Committee have fostered this
policy and besides attending regular meetings the members have systematically
visited all centres.
Administration was aided by three changes. Divisional headquarters, which
had occupied accommodation in Greenwich Town Hall, was transferred in June to
St. Paul's House, Deptford High Street. Although this location at the western
extremity of the Division is less convenient than a central site, it is well served by
public transport and is close to other local offices concerned with the health services.
Moreover, this large modern clergy house on three storeys was usable as offices
without extensive alteration. A Greenwich sub-office was opened at the same time
at the welfare centre, 105 Shooter's Hill Road. By stages stores of all kinds, which
previously had been held separately in the three boroughs comprising the Division,
were concentrated in a central store at the Greenwich sub-office. The third administrative
measure, namely the absorption of the school health service sub-office at
19 Breakspears Road into Divisional headquarters in September, promoted the
integration of the school health and maternity and child welfare services.
A second assistant to the divisional nursing officer was appointed, but otherwise
it was a matter of improving the services within existing resources of staff. The
following are instances of developments achieved:—
(i) In July responsibility was accepted for personal health services in the
Woolwich Garrison area, including the maternity and child welfare clinic provided
by the military authorities for the families of serving men. These services are now
also available to the civilian population and the weekly sessions have been increased
from five to six.