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14
SECTION B.
SUMMARY OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE DISTRICT
I have sub-divided the services into services rendered by the
Council, services rendered by the Hospital Boards, services rendered
by the County Council under Part III of the National Health Service
Act, 1946, and Voluntary Services.
1. Public Health Services Rendered by the Council.
One of the major services of the Health Department and, one
might add, one for which Sanitary Inspectors were first appointed, is
to deal with complaints and the abatement of nuisances. A number
of these are discovered by routine inspection of the district, but the
great majority are brought to our notice by members of the public.
It is pleasing to note that of the 1,175 complaints received during
the year, it was necessary only in eighteen cases to take recourse to
legal action to secure an abatement of the nuisance. These figures
undoubtedly pay tribute to the tact and discretion of the Inspectors,
and to my mind are an indication of good liaison with the public
generally.
One of the essentials in the provision of this service is for the
officers of the department to be situated where they are easily accessible
to any member of the public.
The major services of the Public Health Department, to which
detailed reference is made under Sections C., D., E., F., G., and H.,
of this report, are as follows : —-
Infectious Diseases (Prevention and Notification).
Inspection of Food and Food Premises.
Inspection and Examination of Water and Milk Supplies.
Inspection of Factories and Shops.
Housing.
Inspection of Nursing Homes.
Rodent Control.
Atmospheric Pollution.
Health Education.
Public Mortuary.
All matters covered by the general heading of Sanitary and
Environmental services.
In the Appendices (Nos. 1—4) is a summary of the work of the
Sanitary Inspectors.
2. Services Rendered by the Hospital Boards.
There are three hospitals in Chislehurst and 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 South East London Region.
There are ten maternity beds in the Cray Valley Hospital.