View report page

55
DEPARTMENTAL.
No change was made either in the numbers or personnel of the staff during 1912,
and throughout the year the duties of the Council in relation to public health were
carried out by (in addition to the Medical Officer of Health), a deputy Medical Officer
of Health (Dr. Bywater), two drainage inspectors, one outdoor superintendent, one
meat and food inspector, one house-to-house inspector, five district inspectors, three
women sanitary inspectors, one dust inspector, one chief and three assistant clerks
and an office youth.
In addition to these there are immediately responsible to the Public Health
Committee, the keeper of the public mortuary, the matron and the one female and
two male members of the staff of the shelter and baths, the two disinfectors, the men
and women attendants at the underground conveniences, and the men employed in
flushing the overground conveniences.
By this staff a vast amount of important and valuable work has been done, and
all the members have worked well and satisfactorily.
The pages that follow contain a record of what has been done.
Staff Meetings,
During 1912 there was initiated a practice which promises to lead to an
improvement in the working of the department and also to be to the advantage of the
public health in the Borough, viz., that of holding regular meetings of all the members
of the staff.
These meetings are held on the first Monday in each month after office hours and
are attended by all the inspectors, male and female, and by the deputy Medical Officer
of Health, the chief clerk and the Medical Officer of Health.
Their object is to give an opportunity for the general discussion of all matters
relating to the practical work in connection with public health and to keep each
member of the staff in touch with the others and with what is being done generally.
The system in vogue being largely one of specialism, and special inspectors being
of necessity appointed for special duties, it seemed exceedingly important, if there
was to be no overlapping and if, which is just as bad, each officer was not to get shut
away in his own specialism and so spoil that unity which is so important in connection
with public health work that, there should be exchange of ideas and of experiences.
From the Medical Officer of Health's point of view it seemed absolutely essential
at times to have the whole staff together, to put before them systems of working and
to obtain from them suggestions and ideas as to working, and as to matters calling for
combined action, which may have been noted by any Inspector, or set of
Inspectors, during the course of inspections.
It is the case, of course, that each officer reports each morning to the Medical
Officer of Health, and the work done on the preceding day is reviewed, and that to be
done is considered.