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1948, the Department was involved in an increasing amount of work insofar as the
visiting a5nd reporting on cases was concerned and for subsequent registration. This,
inter alia, gave rise to the Council approving of an additional post of Assistant Nursing
Officer.
In 1969 considerable steps were taken to effect the closure of Redhill House and, by
co-operation of the Hospital Services, it was possible to close the Sick Bay and to
generally reduce the number of residents by effecting transfers to vacancies as they
arose in other Council Homes.
The training of Local Authority staff proceeded at an increased level and through
the medium of the Barnet College of Further Education a new course was started for
Home Helps. This College also commenced a course of training for potential play
group supervisors, due to an increasing number of play groups being established in
various parts of the Borough.
It will be seen from the table on Page 18 that since 1964, when the total number of
Live Births was 4,979, there has been a continuous downward trend and during the year
under review the figure was 4,203 reflecting a corrected birth rate of 13.2 per 1,000
population; over the past four years, the illegitimate birth rate per cent of total Live
Births has shown a corresponding reduction, i.e. 6.9% (1969), 7.5% (1968), 8.0% (1967)
and 8.1% (1966). There was an increase in Stillbirths to 50 (45 in 1968) representing
a rate of 11.8 (10.4 in 1968) per 1,000 Live and Still Births.
The infant death rate per 1,000 Live and Still Births (including neonatal, early
neonatal and perinatal deaths) shows considerable decreases; infant deaths 12.8 (16.3
in 1968), neonatal 8.6 (11.9 in 1968), early neonatal 7.4 (10.2 in 1968) and perinatal
19.0 (20.5 in 1968).
There was also a decrease in deaths from all causes i.e. 3,664 compared with
3,732 in 1968; however, having regard to the variation in population and change in the
area comparability factor, this in fact shows an increase in the corrected rate, i.e.
10.6 per 1,000 population (1968) to 10.8 for 1969.
There was no serious outbreak of infectious disease during the year.
As was the case in 1968, the staffing situation showed some improvement but in the
administrative and clerical field a number of vacancies remained unfilled for a
considerable period of time.
For any Department to be successful, it must depend upon team work and personal
involvement of individuals and it is therefore with extreme pleasure that I thank all
members of the staff for the part that they have played.
It would be remiss of me if I did not once again refer to the valuable services
rendered by voluntary organisations and voluntary helpers for without such assistance
the Local Authority services would not operate at the required level.
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