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7
The Chief Ambulance Officer presents his last annual report
of a year of increased demands. The Croydon Ambulance Service
was a relatively small organisation, but this had compensatory
advantages. It allowed for rank and file identity with a recognised
locality and direct approach to management. At a time when
staff shortages affect these grades, smaller units can often
achieve good staff relationships more easily than large complex
systems.
Chiropody services provided by private chiropodists in their
own surgeries were further developed. In the loan of home
nursing equipment incontinence pads were introduced as a free
issue to necessitous patients and at cost price to others. Disposal
of such items after use where home conditions were unsuitable
was carried out by the disinfecting service, using the
incinerators at local hospitals.
Clean Air
Despite national policy changes, steady progress in the
agreed campaign to cover the whole borough with smoke control
orders was maintained. This slow and perhaps unnoticed revolution
in domestic heating methods was still the major contribution
of present day applied sanitary science, to the promotion
of good health. As always costs have been exceeding original
estimates but the good effects of clean air have been reflected
in lower infant mortality rates and increased longevity. It
represents capital investment equalled only in returns in good
health by past schemes for pure water, sewage disposal and good
housing.
Housing
An increase of 455 inhabited houses since 1963 was recorded
but unfortunately produced no effect on the demands for priority
for re-housing on medical grounds. Furthermore requests for
transfer from one Corporation unit to another became so numerous
that medical support became necessary before they could be considered.
Much time was given to enquiries about the relative
merits of these claims, of which the majority were rejected
because so few units were available. This necessity of disappointing
over 90% was, as always, a painful and onerous duty.