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of the medico-social services, calling in specialist social workers as
and when required. Her main job, like that of all members of the
Public Health services, is to prevent illness and to promote health.
In all her activities she must aim to educate, first in the need for action,
and then in the methods of achieving the objective.
HOME NURSING
In the area of "old" Barking services of home nurses were also
provided by arrangement with the Plaistow Maternity Hospital and
District Nurses' Home, who received financial aid from the Council.
In 1934 the East Barking District Nursing Association was formed on
a voluntary basis to provide a district nursing service for the new
Becontree Estate and this association also ultimately received your
financial support.
My predecessor was a member of the Committee of the Plaistow
Maternity Hospital and District Nursing Association and was also
Honorary Medical Officer to the East Barking District Nursing Association,
so that he had a measure of control over the work of the
district nurses throughout the area. Since the "appointed day,"
however, when these services were taken over by the County
Council, they have been administered from the County's training
home at Leytonstone and your Medical Officer lost contact with
this service.
It seems to me that the health visiting, domiciliary midwifery,
home nursing and home help services are all integral parts of the
domiciliary health services, and that proper co-ordination cannot be
achieved unless they all come within the day to day control of the
Health Area Sub-Committee. In fact the County's arrangements for
decentralisation expressly provide that this service shall be administered
by health area sub-committees, and it seems to me unfortunate that
this principle was not implemented.
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Smallpox Vaccination. Prior to the "appointed day" vaccinations
in Banking were carried out by public vaccinators and returns
were forwarded to the County Health Department, so that figures
are not readily available for vaccinations carried out before 1948.
The County Council's proposals under Section 26 of the National
Health Service Act envisaged that vaccinations would be undertaken
mainly by general medical practitioners and supplemented by special
sessions in the clinics only if circumstances called for such an extension.
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