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8
SECTION B.
SUMMARY OF HEALTH SERVICES
The summary that follows gives an indication of the Health
Services rendered by the District Council, the County Council and the
Hospital Boards. I have not, however, included the invaluable Service
to the health of the district rendered by voluntary organisations such
as the Chislehurst and Sidcup Care Committee (Tuberculosis), the
British Red Cross Society and St. John Ambulance Brigade, the North
West Kent Council of Social Service, the W.V.S. and the Chislehurst
and Sidcup Old People's Welfare Committee.
1. Health Services Rendered by the Council.
Sanitary and Environmental Services.
These, which are the main services of your Health Department,
have been reported upon in Sections C. D. E. and F. A summary of
the year's work is in the Appendix.
Inspection of Nursing Homes.
This service has been delegated to your council by the County
Council.
The six Nursing Homes in the area provide the following accommodation:—
Number of maternity beds 16
Number of other beds 27
Number of patients received during the year 196
Eleven inspections were carried out at these Homes during the
course of the year, and there were no serious infringements of the
Local Bye-Laws.
Public Mortuary.
During the year, structural alterations were completed giving
improved storage of some six bodies at low temperatures and for
viewing of bodies where required for identification.
Sixty-eight bodies were received, on 26 of which inquests were
held.
2. Services Rendered by Hospital Boards.
There are three hospitals in Chislehurst & Sidcup—Queen Mary's
Hospital with 510 beds, Cray Valley Hospital with 31 beds, and Sidcup
Cottage Hospital with 14 beds, giving a total of 555 hospital beds
available in the district. They form part of the Sidcup and Swanley
Hospital Group of the S.E. London Region. I am led to understand
that there are only five maternity beds provided by this Hospital
Board but that further provision is under active consideration.