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45
Consultations took place between the Council and representatives of the British
Medical Association and the London Executive Council, in association with the Ministry
of Health, regarding the general practitioner services to be provided at the health
centre, and a draft model contract between a general practitioner and an executive
council, defining the conditions under which a general practitioner would practise at a
health centre, was drawn up, the intention being that, when agreed by all concerned,
this would be the form of agreement between the general practitioners providing
general medical services at Woodberry Down Health Centre and the London Executive
Council and also serve as a model for similar arrangements elsewhere. A complementary
agreement between the Executive Council and the Council covering the
conditions under which the Council will make available accommodation for general
practitioners at the health centre will also be necessary and a draft agreement was
drawn up. Both documents were still under consideration at the end of the year.
Equipment
The departmental committee set up in 1949 completed their work of compiling
schedules of the equipment required for Woodberry Down Health Centre. These
included equipment for the school treatment section, the child guidance unit, the
foot clinic and the portions of the building designed for common use. The task of a
special sub-committee appointed to consider the equipment of the general medical
practitioner suites of the centre was made very much easier by the valuable help and
advice of the two general practitioners, Dr. A. P. McEldowney and Dr. M. Sorsby,
nominated by the London Executive Council to serve on the sub-committee. The
services of Mr. Seymour Robinson, the dental surgeon nominated by the Executive
Council, were also of great assistance in the preparation of the schedule of equipment
for the dental suites.
The schedules of furniture and equipment required for the centre were approved
by the Ministry of Health, and, as regards the school health services, by the Ministry
of Education. The equipment of the general medical practitioner suites was also
agreed by the Local Medical Committee for the County of London and of the dental
suites by the Local Dental Committee. Orders were placed for the supply of the
equipment in readiness for the opening of the centre.
Queen's Road Centre. The Council's decision to acquire the former Pioneer Health
Centre, Peckham, was mentioned in my report for 1950, in which a scheme for the use
of the centre was also described.
The Council took possession of the premises, now known as the Queen's Road
Centre, on 27th April.
It was planned to carry out the necessary works of repair and adaptation in two
stages. The first stage, designed to enable partial use of the premises to begin as
soon as possible, included the provision of a day nursery for forty children over one
year of age to replace the nearby St. Mary's Road Day Nursery in a requisitioned
house. The second stage, comprising water, electricity, heating works and the provision
of a lift, will enable the whole building to be brought into full use.
The first stage works were put in hand and partial use of the building for health
and education purposes was begun. A maternity and child welfare (ante-natal) clinic
was opened and health education lectures were arranged. The swimming bath and
gymnasium were brought into use for shools and afternoon and evening classes were
held in the lecture hall.
More extensive use of the premises depends on completion of the second stage
work, when it is intended that in addition to extended educational evening institute
activities, a family club and a medico-sociological research unit shall be established.
It seemed likely, however, at the end of the year that increasing restrictions on capital
expenditure and the use of steel would call for modification of the second stage works.
At a later date, if general medical and dental practitioners desire the provision of
accommodation for group practice, this could be arranged.
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