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GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE
AREA.
HEALTH CENTRES. During the year further progress was
made with regard to earmarking sites for Health Centres.
Recommendations have been made for five sites to bo reserved
for Centres which will servo the five neighbourhood units into
which the town is at present divided. In making these
recommendations it was envisaged that the site chosen in the
natural centre of the town, adjacent to existing hospital
facilities, would bo for the major health centre of the town.
During the year the five dental centres in the area
operated as Health Centres, but the general dental service for
which they were so designated Health Centres was reduced to a
minimum, because of the shortage of dental officers and the need
for ensuring adequate cover for the priority services.
DAY NURSERIES, The great demand for Nursery places
continued and throughout the year the average number of children
awaiting admission was 411, whereas the total number of places
available was 168.
Every effort was made to forward the schemes for converting
the former Castle School into a day nursery, and for erecting new
premises on a site in St.Ann's Road. It is expected that the
conversion of Castle School, which will provide 66 places, will
be completed during 1950.
With regard to Eastbury Day Nursery, which is accommodated
in property belonging to the National Trust, the Trustees gave
notice that the present tenancy of the premises for occupation as
a Day Nursery would expire in May,1952. This Nursery provides
80 places and is at present the only nursery in the Western half
of the town.
DOMESTIC HELPS. Domestic Helps were mainly allocated to
chronic sickness cases and to the aged. There was,however, an
increased allocation to tubercular patients.
There is need for the employment of male domestic helps to
meet the needs of male chronic sick patients and aged men,
particularly those living alone.
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