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SECTION B.
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA.
(1 ) GENERAL HEALTH SERVICES.
(a) Laboratory Facilities.
Our laboratory facilities have suffered considerably
from the absence, owing to illness, of Dr. E. M. Hill, the
Scientist. During the time Dr. Hill was in Barking, not only
ourselves,but other organisations and authorities she contacted,
learned to value highly the way in which she undertook her
work in the Laboratory in the Barking Hospital precincts.
(b) Ambulance Facilities.
On the outbreak of War your ambulance service became
virtually a part of the Air Raid Precautions Service, and has
so continued.
(c) Hospitals (Public and Voluntary).
Not only your Hospitals, but certain voluntary and
County Hospitals were taken over wholly or in part, and became
emergency hospitals at the beginning of September; some two
months later your Maternity Hospital reverted to its normal use.
As in previous years you allocated a sum of £300 to
be distributed to certain voluntary hospitals catering specially
for the needs of the people of Barking.
Your proposal to build a second maternity pavilion
has had to be deferred on account of the war.
(d) Clinics and Treatment Centres.
On the outbreak of war both the Central and the
Woodward Clinics were taken over and adapted for use as
First Aid Posts. For a few weeks clinic sessions were
curtailed, but, by the end of the year, a more normal
programme of work was being carried out at all Clinics,
excepting Porters Avenue, where the Minor Ailment Sessions
were cancelled. The number of sessions at the Foot Clinic
were reduced.
(e) Nursing in the Home.
In consequence of the outbreak of war many patients
were discharged from hospitals and many hospitals reduced
their out-patient activities. This of necessity led to the
utmost demands being made on the Home Nursing Services which
have been provided in the Borough.
This work is at present done by the Plaistow
Maternity Hospital and District Nurses' Home and the East
Barking District Nursing Association, both of whom now
receive substantial grants from the Corporation.
(2) MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.
(a) Ante-Natal and Post-Natal Supervision.
Although the ante-natal clinics were interrupted
at the commencement of the war, by the end of the year our
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