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PART 3 - PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES.
Having presented such evidence as is available on the state
of the public health locally and the measures taken to control the
effects of infectious diseases, a brief account of the services provided
to assist the individual resident to maintain health is desirable,
if only for the purpose of information.
Owing to the unfortunate division of the Health Service into
three main branches, no mention is now normally made in the
reports of Medical Officers of Health of the General Practitioner
and Hospital Services, excepting insofar as they co-operate in the
preventive services provided by the Local Authorities. Obviously,
however, both contribute very substantially to the health of the
public, though predominately by curing defects which have not
been prevented. Owing to emphasis during the training of the
personnel and the greater immediate satisfaction and appeal of
spectacular cures, the question of prevention is, unfortunately, apt
to be forgotten or relegated to a very minor role. In both Services
there is, however, a very slowly growing appreciation of, and
regard for the importance of the environment and the way of life
of their patients, as a result of which more health education is being
undertaken.
Reports on the activities of these other services must be sought
elsewhere. Here, attention must initially be confined to the main
preventive Health Service —
LOCAL AUTHORITY HEALTH SERVICES.
Since 1948, the administrative responsibility for the personal
Health Service has rested almost entirely on the County Councils
and County Borough Councils. Fortunately, in South East Surrey,
close liaison exists between the local Urban District Council and
the County Council as the former has representatives on the
Divisional Health Sub-Committee and the corresponding Divisional
Education Executive, which bodies have certain specified powers
and responsibilities for some of the allied Health Services. The
Medical Officer of Health for this District and his Deputy, who
hold similar positions in the Caterham and Warlingham Urban
District, are the responsible officers for the Divisional Health Services
and deal to a limited extent, among other things, with the
maintenance and detailed organisation of the following branches.
Maternity Clinics.
Since the National Health Service Act has been implemented,
prospective mothers wishing to take advantage of its provisions
may arrange for their confinements with
(1) a doctor providing midwifery service and a maternity
nurse or
(2) a midwife, the doctor of their choice being on call in
emergency, or
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