View report page

During the year also, arrangements were made for the display of public health posters
in various business premises. The most potent factor in health education undoubtedly
remains the individual approach by members of the health department. Thus health
visitors, school nurses, home nurses and indeed all members of the staff who come into
contact with the members of the public have an important part to play.
Close co-operation with statutory and voluntary bodies concerned with child
neglect continued throughout the year. I should like to express my appreciation of the
help which I have received from other departments, particularly the Children's Care
Organisation, the Divisional Education Officer, the Area Children's Officer and also
from the staff of voluntary organisations.
Child neglect
Reference is made above to the expansion of certain of the infant welfare clinics and
to the improvement in others. During the year, consideration was given from time to
time to 'selective' visiting by health visitors. This is a subject which at the moment is
being discussed extensively, particularly as it relates to problem families and the prevention
of child neglect. 'Selective' visiting, certainly on a small scale, has been in
operation for some considerable time but the extent to which such visiting by health
visitors should or can be extended requires careful thought.
Health visiting
During the year the distribution ot welfare roods was taken over from the Ministry
of Food. The necessary arrangements entailed a large amount of careful planning and I
should like particularly to express my appreciation for the work of the Divisional
Administrative Officer, Mr. F. E. Willson, for planning the take-over, which is working
extremely smoothly.
Welfare foods
Reference was made last year to the combined efforts of everyone to tend to the needs
of old people. This work has continued.
Welfare of
old persons
Co-operation
I am again happy to refer to the close co-operation and liaison which exists with the
individual doctors, the local division of the British Medical Association and the hospitals
in the area. A similar liaison exists between the divisional staff and other Council departments
concerned with health and welfare, particularly the Divisional Officer of the
Education Officer's Department, the Welfare Department and the Borough Councils'
staff.
A very useful meeting was held during the year with the local division of the British
Medical Association to discuss, specifically, liaison between the health department
generally and the local doctors. This took the form of a discussion opened by myself
and my colleagues and it was generally agreed that a very useful and constructive evening
was spent and many useful contacts established.
It is a pleasure again to thank all my colleagues in the Division for the great help
and support which has been accorded to me during the year. I am especially grateful
to my senior colleagues—Dr. W. G. Harding, Dr. A. Garland, Mr. F. E. Willson,
Miss W. M. Winch and Miss G. U. Cox. It was particularly pleasant in the early part
of the year to welcome back Mr. F. E. Willson, the Divisional Administrative Officer,
after a serious illness.
Organisation
In March, Miss E. M. Woods, the Divisional Nursing Officer, retired. She had
spent most of her professional life firstly in the service of the Metropolitan Borough of
Wandsworth and then with the Council and had rendered, during many years, yeoman
service to the mothers and children of the area. She left the Division with the good wishes
of everyone. Fortunately, her place was very adequately filled by Miss Winch who very
soon settled in and took up the reins of her office. It is with great pleasure that I welcome
Miss Winch to the staff of the Division.
At the end of the year, Miss S. M. Jones, one of the Assistant Divisional Nursing
Officers, also left after more than 30 years' service with the Council, mainly 011 the school
health side. Her services to the schoolchildren of this area of London have been manifold.
143