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Aged patients continued to present the greatest problem as so many of them were in a
physically bad condition as well as being mentally ill.
The psychiatric social worker gave intensive case work to 69 patients.
Educationally subnormal children, particularly school leavers, were encouraged to
join clubs and recreational institutes.
Six children visited the home at Seaford opened recently by the 'Buckets and Spades'
Society; no charge was made to the Council and the children were given every possible
care by the matron of the home and the voluntary helpers from the Society.
Recuperative holidays were arranged for many patients who were mentally ill.
The Bethnal Green training centre closed on 9 June, 1961, in order that the premises
could be adapted for an elder girls' training centre together with a special care unit for
junior children. The new centre was due to open early in 1962.
Prophylaxis—In May a fourth poliomyelitis injection was introduced for children about
to enter school and for schoolchildren between the ages of five and eleven years. All eligible
children living or attending school in the division were offered the fourth injection during
June and July; all seventy-six primary schools in the area were visited by poliomyelitis
teams during the last six weeks of the summer term.
Health education—At two welfare centres film shows were held during the evenings, for
which special invitations were sent to expectant mothers and their husbands. The response
was gratifying and the highest attendance on any one evening was 46.
Ante-natal services—In order to improve liaison, arrangements were made for a member
of the health visiting staff to attend the weekly ante-natal booking clinic held at St. Andrew's
hospital. This arrangement has worked very successfully.
Day nurseries—In December, Old Church Road day nursery, Stepney, was closed.
The premises are again to be used as a nursery school. The parents of children accommodated
in the day nursery were offered alternative placings in other nurseries in the division.
Bathing centres—The sole remaining ad hoc bathing centre was closed on 30 March and
bathing facilities on a reduced scale were provided elsewhere. The number of schoolchildren
needing cleansing at bathing centres continued to fall considerably; in 1961 there
were 217 cases compared with 673 in the previous year.
DIVISION 6, comprising the boroughs of Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich
Dr. F. R. Waldron reports:
Accommodation—As an addition to divisional headquarters, premises at 74 Deptford
High Street were occupied in February. These house the divisional mental health team,
the Deptford home help office and a food sales point. The 'shop window' is used for
topical displays by health visitors who form the divisional health education group.
Maternity services—Despite co-operative efforts in applying priorities, the demand for
maternity beds increased during the year, especially in the Greenwich and Deptford
districts. Inevitably, some cases were referred to the Emergency Bed Service. Both maternity
liaison committees in the division have discussed this problem at their meetings.
Fifteen general practitioner obstetricians in the Woolwich and Greenwich district
continued to attend ante-natal centres. In December steps were being taken to offer similar
facilities to doctors in Deptford and to extend the facilities in the Greenwich, Eltham and
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