View report page

8
There can be but few Councils in England with resources
comparable to your own who have made provision for carrying
on Public Health Services in the same way and to the same extent
as you have done, and I am happy in my belief that you yourselves
recognise this good work you have already accomplished is
essentially the foundation of good work which still remains to be
carried out.
The Clinics you have established for Maternity and Child
Welfare, Dentistry, Ante-Natal Supervision, Ultra Violet Light
Treatment, etc., all show promise of an increasing reward in health
and contentment. This work throughout the whole of the country
is even yet in a pioneer phase, and one of the greatest lessons
we are learning is the vast amount of work which still remains
to be done.
With particular reference to Barking, it may be said that,
even without any increase of population, an extension of these
Services would be desirable; with the increase in population
which is taking place and which is likely to take place, this
extension is inevitable.
If criticism can indeed be offered to these Services, it is only
such as can be given to all such progressive Services.
These Services grow from small beginnings, and from different
beginnings. There is, therefore, at first, during the growing stage,
of necessity a certain uncouthness about them and a certain lack
of co-ordination between them. It will be my endeavour to advise
you how to train your adolescent Services so that they may retain
the present vigour of their youth and yet fit, as it were, into a
united family life in which each part promotes the welfare of the
whole.
This task requires time, not only the months and years necessary
to accomplish so desirable an end, but also time for personal
administrative work to achieve this end. During the year under
review I personally have not had the time and opportunity I
could have wished to devote to this object.