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Woodberry Down health centre—The Tenth Anniversary celebration was held at the
centre on 2 October 1963. Guests inspected the accommodation and centre activities before
meeting in the Lecture Hall, where Mr. H. G. Lamborn, Chairman of the Health Committee
presided.
Mr. A. Reginald Stamp, J.P., Chairman of the London County Council, Dr. C. F. Stott,
a general medical practitioner at the Centre and myself were the principal speakers and
among those present were, the Mayor of Stoke Newington the Mayor and Mayoress of
Hackney, the Mayor and Mayoress of Shoreditch and Dr. J. A. Scott, Medical Officer of
Health.
DIVISION 5, comprising the boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney and the
City of London
Dr. A. L. Thrower reports:
For most of the year the division was under the direction of my predecessor, Dr. G. O.
Mitchell, who retired in September after long service in East London. Another change
foreshadowed among the senior staff was the retirement of Dr. Lily Butler, deputy divisional
medical officer, which became effective at the beginning of January, 1964. She also had
given many years of service in East London, particularly with schoolchildren.
Prevention of break-up of families—The divisional co-ordinating committee met on four
occasions, 34 intermediate case conferences were held and 130 families considered.
Intensive case work was being provided to 15 households by the end of the year and five
families received the services of specially trained home helps to assist the mothers in housekeeping
and budgeting. The help of students from the North Western Polytechnic, general
social work course, employed on five-month placings under the supervision of the divisional
social worker was especially welcome.
Mental health—The ready assistance of the consultants at Long Grove Hospital to see
patients at short notice and, indeed, to undertake home visits at the end of an arduous day's
work has been of immense help to the mental health social workers, who have also
benefited from the close co-operation of other hospital and social workers. The year has
been one of progress in social relationships between the many bodies working in this
branch of the health service. Attendances at the training centres, evening and week-end
clubs in the division have proved their worth and the pressing need for additional similar
facilities. Stepney industrial training centre had to be closed in July on the expiry of the
lease of the centre building.
At the special advisory clinic for mentally backward children 46 attendances were made
by children during 1963; of these 11 were attending for the first time.
Day nurseries—Because demand could not justify its continued operation, Pritchard's
Road day nursery, Bethnal Green, closed at Christmas; the children so displaced were
accommodated in neighbouring nurseries.
Since the experimental use of special units for severely sub-normal infants in two day
nurseries in other divisions had shown a marked improvement in the behaviour and wellbeing
of some of the children admitted, it was decided to extend this service to four additional
day nurseries, one of which was the Queen Mary day nursery, Poplar, where suitable
accommodation was already available. This unit, which can take up to six of these handicapped
children under five years of age, opened in September. It provides special training
for the infants and affords some relief to the parents from the great strain involved in
caring for and bringing them up.
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