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Health and Welfare Department,
Gateway House,
322 Regents Park Road,
Finchley, N.3.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Council of the London Borough of Barnet.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with pleasure that I present my report on the Health and Welfare services of the
Borough for the year 1969.
The year under review saw headway in the development of most services and though
economic circumstances continued to have a limiting effect very real progress was still
possible.
Each year brings new legislation. During 1969, the Housing Act 1969 became
operative in August. The basic principles of the Act provide for the conversion of
controlled tenancies into regulated tenancies subject to the dwelling concerned providing
all the standard amenities necessary. The work involved in operating this Act is quite
considerable both from the Public Health Inspectorate and the Administrative points of
view. It becomes abundantly apparent that the Council will have to give consideration to
a revision of establishments where officers will be involved in the work connected with
the Act.
The problem of homelessness still remains one of major importance and as indicated
in my report for 1968 the need for additional units of accommodation became an urgent
necessity. Fortunately progress was possible in regard to the purchase of houses strategically
placed throughout the Borough. The need to provide for additional units for a
number of years seems to be inevitable.
As referred to in my report for 1968, the Council's proposals for family planning,
namely that of a comprehensive service, were fully implemented in August. In my report
for next year, I shall be able to comment more specifically in regard to the progress made.
The Special Investigation Clinic, which was established at Vale Drive Clinic in 1967,
continues to develop and expand to meet the ever-increasing demands. The majority of
referrals are as previously for severe nocturnal enuresis and total attendances at the
Clinic increased by nearly one-third over the 1968 figures.
1969 saw the completion of the attachment of all nursing staff to general practitioners
and meetings held with the general practitioners confirmed the value of these nursing
services attachments.
With the introduction of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 and
especially insofar as this Act revised the Nurseries and Child Minders Regulation Act
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