View report page

of food hygiene have continued apace. The Chief Public Health Inspector's
report describes the occurrence of an outbreak of food poisoning in the
maternity unit of Rush Green Hospital.
In the field of mental health this year saw the opening of the new
Castle School in June 1970. This purpose built Junior Training Centre
will continue to provide a valuable service to the mentally handicapped
children of this Borough long after its transfer to the educational system
in April 1971.
The Child Guidance Clinic has continued to operate but here again
staff shortages have hampered the work of this service which is of such
importance. Only by the prompt application of corrective measures to deal
with the root causes of the problem will we be able to prevent disturbed
children growing up to be disturbed adults who create further disturbed
families in their turn.
The Borough has now been in existence for some five years. During this
period the Health Department with the support of the Health Committee has
built up a Mental Health Service which bears favourable comparison with
other Boroughs in the area. These years have seen the opening of new Junior
and Adult Training Centres, a Sheltered Workshop for the mentally handicapped,
a Day Centre for the mentally ill and the use of maisonettes for the community
care of the mentally ill. These projects have consumed a major slice of the
Health Department's financial resources. In providing an up to date service
progress in other areas has had to be restricted.
This is the last year that the statistics for the Mental Health Service,
the Home Help Service and the Day Care of pre-school children, will appear
in the Annual Reports of the Medical Officer of Health and I would like to
take the opportunity of thanking Mrs. Dixon and her team, Mrs. Everitt and
her home helps, the Matrons and staff of the nurseries, and finally Mr. Ruff
for the many years of valuable service they have given as members of the
Health Department. They will shortly be leaving us for the Social Service
Department in the year to come, and we wish them well in the new Department.
For those who will continue in my Department the future holds out the
prospect of change and uncertainty. I have every confidence in their ability
to make change into opportunity as we progress together towards a reorganised
Health Service in 1974.
J. ADRIAN GILLET
Medical Officer of Health.
15