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11
To :
THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF
THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present a report for the year 1969 on
the services administered by the Health and Welfare Department of
the London Borough of Bromley. The report is set out to the
requirements of Department of Health and Social Security Circular
1/69.
The acceptance of the Seebohm Report means that when the
necessary legislation has been passed even Local Health Authorities
such as Bromley with combined Health and Welfare Departments
will need to set up separate departments of Health and
Social Services. This annual report is likely to be the last but
one of similar reports bringing together for one whole year the
Health, the general Social Services and the School Health Services
of this Local Health Authority and presented by the Medical
Officer of Health.
In many ways, the combination of health and welfare had
paved the way to the setting up of a Social Services Department
in that greater co-ordination was possible than had health and
welfare always been separate. However, new problems of medical
confidentiality and overlap of services will inevitably be met in
the new divisions and more than goodwill may be needed to
resolve these difficulties. There will be tremendous opportunities
for the new department to experiment on lines not possible or
appropriate for traditional health departments; and it is likely that
both departments in the long run will benefit from a separation
that will enable them to develop their individual styles of administration
and services to the public.
Early in the year, the staff of the Health and Welfare Department
moved from their Orpington offices to Sherman House,
Bromley, a building shared with the Borough Treasurer, and
providing more central and satisfactory accommodation.
Statistics
Owing to boundary adjustments, there was a decrease in
area from 39,266 acres to 37,583 acres. It was necessary to use
a weighted average population figure to determine the rates of
Birth and Death for valid comparison with other areas. Differences
with last year's rates are minimal and insignificant.
Three maternal deaths were reported to the Department of
Health and Social Security which completed the necessary investigations
and no adverse report was received.
The death rate of pulmonary tuberculosis showed a continuing