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6
of the South Norwood site was concluded, and active planning proceeded.
This very slow progress has advantages in learning from the difficulties
of other areas, but raised problems for the general practitioners concerned
with their existing premises and the future oftheir partnerships. Requests
were also received from additional family doctors for the use of the
Rectory Park Clinic, but it was not possible to suggest adaptations of the
existing building within the present site which would allow its use as a
Health Centre.
The Domiciliary Nursing Team
Attachment and liaison schemes with general practice made steady
progress. Dealing only with applications from family doctors has allowed
a useful comparison of work loads on which the Chief Nursing Officer .
comments. She also reports the successful introduction of other grades of
nursing staff within the domiciliary team, as authorised by a new establishment.
After some doubts about the feasibility of attachment and liaison
schemes in urban areas we are now convinced that they ensure a better
service for the patient, a favourable response from the general practitioner,
and a greater job satisfaction for nursing staff. It is anticipated that all
District Nurses and the majority of Health Visitors will work in attachment
or liaison by 1972.
Care of Pre-School Children.
Nursery Groups and Child Minding continued to increase. Access to
mothers with children in such units for group health education is mentioned
by the Principal Health Education Officer. In the discussion on the merits
of pre-school provision, the benefits to mothers of some relief from the continuous
responsibility of constant infant care may be overlooked. By such
relief pre-school facilities can help not only the developing child, but can
improve the quality of essential maternal nurture. The building of the new
Corporation Day Nursery was commenced and the Play Room at the Lodge
Road Clinic accepted children with social needs outside the actual hours of
Clinic attendance. It has proved a most useful provision under the urban aid
scheme, but unfortunately other recommendations to assist the Play Group
movement could not be accepted in the year under review, for such financial
help.
Mental Health
The scheme to establish joint hospital and local authority Mental
Health Centres serving all parts of the Borough was fulfilled. As indicated
later in the Report a system which allows full use of existing medical knowledge
and is ready for any new discoveries in clinical care has been established
in Croydon, with a full range of supporting facilities. Unfortunately
there are many forms of mental illness which do not respond to known
methods of treatment. Pending successful research, patients and their