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Two very successful meetings were held, one in Camberwell in association with the local
B.M.A. division and the Cane Hill hospital medical staff, the other in Lewisham in association
with the local B.M.A. division and the Bexley hospital staff. Over 80 persons attended,
including 25 general practitioners, seven psychiatrists and other hospital and L.C.C. staff.
Discussion covered generally the new procedures in mental health as they affected the
general practitioner. Particular reference was made to the work done at the hospital
psychiatric out.patient departments at St. Giles and Lewisham hospitals, and to the
Council's provision and plans for community care.
The work of the mental welfare officers, while following the broad pattern of emergency
arrangements for the mentally ill and community care for the subnormal and mentally ill,
had distinctive developments due to the establishments situated in the divisional area. The
emergency wards at St. Francis hospital, Dulwich have proved the most active in London
for admitting patients from all parts of the county. The mental welfare officers in the
division, in addition to their duties for their own patients, provided liaison for those from
other divisions. For the subnormal, Dover Lodge hostel and three training centres are
sited in the division, and for day.to.day administration have been incorporated in the
divisional set.up: the mental welfare officers undertake social work for the residents at
Dover Lodge and the training centre pupils.
DIVISION 8, comprising the boroughs of Bermondsey, Lambeth and Southwark
Dr. W. H. S. Wallace reports:
Maternity and child welfare—Attendance at the maternity and child welfare clinics has
been well maintained. The areas served by the welfare centres have been revised to meet the
changing needs that have resulted from the large number of new buildings in the division.
It has been possible to provide an additional infant welfare clinic at the Brixton school
treatment centre and this has proved most valuable for mothers living in the vicinity.
There has still been heavy demand for maternity beds but St. Thomas', Lambeth and the
General Lying.in hospitals have been able to meet the needs in the division.
Day nurseries—The demand for day nursery accommodation has continued to diminish.
The average daily attendance at nurseries in the division during the year was 578, compared
with 594 in 1959. The site of Marine Street day nursery, Bermondsey was required for road
widening and consequently the nursery was closed in July. All children in the priority
groups attending the nursery were given vacancies in the other nurseries in Bermondsey.
Prophylaxis—The new scheme for immunisation in childhood, which involves commencing
the immunising injections at a much earlier age, has proved most successful and
has resulted in a great increase in the number of children being inoculated. The cases of
diphtheria that occurred in schools fortunately had the effect of bringing the need for
immunisation to the notice of parents and a considerable increase in the number of booster
doses given in schools resulted.
Infectious disease—Six cases of diphtheria were notified and confirmed in the division
during the year. The first case occurred in a Lambeth infant school in February. In
following up this case one further case was discovered and seventeen children and two
adults were found to be carriers.
In October and November four cases of diphtheria were notified in different schools in
Southwark and North Lambeth. These cases were separate and no direct connection
between them was discovered. All the children in the schools concerned were swabbed and
nine carriers were found.
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