View report page

119
Great importance is attached to the spread of health education. It is satisfactory
to report that the number of mothers attending educational sessions at the welfare
centres was twice as large in 1951 as in the preceding year. Mothercraft clubs again
are being established in the centres for teaching purposes.
Health
education
The divisional staff co-operated in the Health Week organised by the Fulham
Borough Council in June and the exhibits and activities included material relating to
the health services of the County Council. Intensive efforts were also expended to
further the County Council's diphtheria immunisation campaign.
In conclusion I must record my thanks to the Divisional Health Committee
for their support and encouragement, to the Borough Medical officers of Health for
their ready co-operation and to the divisional staff for their admirable work during the
year.
Division 2, comprising the boroughs of Hampstead, Paddington, St. Marylebone, St.
Pancras and Westminster.
Dr. H. L. Oldershaw reports :—
(1) Medical Officers.—It has now been arranged for ten of the assistant medical
officers in the division to have experience of both Maternity and Child Welfare and
School Medical Services. In addition, three of the assistant medical officers attend
the St. Mary's, Great Ormond Street and Westminster Hospitals, and four of them
have the opportunity of the day to day medical administration of the personal health
service of the Boroughs in which they work.
Staff
(2) Health Visitors.—Gradually the Health Visitors are undertaking the home
visiting of the family as a unit, including not only the pre-school child, expectant and
nursing mothers, but also the home visiting of all age groups in respect of hospital
after care. The number of nursing staff in the division showed a slight increase
during the year, and although the number of home visits showed a slight decrease,
the scope of these visits increased considerably. Nevertheless, herein may be in
part the explanation of the decrease in attendances at the Welfare Centres.
(3) Clerical.—Whilst it is pleasing to record that several of the clerical staff have
left the division on promotion to County Hall, these changes have naturally been to
the detriment of the work of the division.
During the year, the following additional accommodation was acquired by the
Council:—
Premises
(1) A prefabricated building in Peach Street, Paddington, was replaced by a
new nursery on an adjoining site. This was opened in April, 1951, and named the
Katharine Bruce Day Nursery after a local social worker who was also a member of
the Paddington Council. The nursery provides for sixty-two places.
(2) A house in Alderney Street, Westminster, was purchased to replace the Minor
Ailment Centre in Greencoat Place and the School Treatment Centre at the Western
Dispensary, Rochester Row. Certain adaptations, etc., are necessary before these
premises can be brought into use.
There has been a considerable reduction in the waiting list during the year, but
there are still 231 priority cases awaiting admission. The Council's decisions in respect
of staffing have been applied, and every effort is made to keep running costs
of the nurseries to a reasonable minimum.
Day
nurseries
The number of Child-Minders in the division continues to increase and it is
estimated that over £2,000 will be spent in 1952/53. It should be noted that these
children are not necessarily priority cases, and an amendment of the Nurseries and
Child Minders Regulation Act, 1948, to include all children minded would render
the Council scheme unnecessary, with the consequential saving.
Childminders