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TOWN HALL, BARKING,
ESSEX
March, 1956.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Barking.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Although this is only my second annual report as your Medical
Officer of Health the majority of it was compiled after I had given
notice of my resignation, and indeed these words are being written
long after I have left. Once again the report will appear much too
late and I can only offer as excuses my departure and, in later stages,
the printing dispute.
Of our activities during 1954 I should like to pick out for special
mention co-operation, preventive mental health, health education and
research. I think we can claim to have improved considerably the
spirit of co-operation between family doctors and the public health
team, and valuable personal contacts were made at a series of meetings
at each of the clinics which were attended by somewhat over half the
doctors practising in the Borough.
In the field of mental health the Psychiatrists have been encouraged
from the fastness of the Child Guidance Clinic and have invaded the
Child Welfare Centres to advise mothers of very young children—
and by early treatment thus preventing the development of more serious
troubles. It is, however, only our own medical officers and health
visitors who can undertake preventive work on a sufficiently broad
basis, and in-service training has been developed to help them in this
task.
We are realizing, somewhat belatedly, that teaching, as opposed
to dissemination of propaganda, calls not only for aptitude but
some specialized training. This year, thanks largely to invaluable help
from the Central Council for Health Education, most members of the
field staff have gained further knowledge of modern techniques in
health education and this experience has been put to excellent use.
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