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Public Health Department,
Civic Centre,
Dagenham.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Dagenham.
1961 proved a very difficult year mainly because Dr. Mair left early on in the year
and it was not found possible to replace her. My secretary Mrs. Fraser left during the
year and was replaced by Miss Hathway who came in October.
It was largely therefore a year when it was not found possible to make as much
progress in the Department as I would have wished. However, certain things have
been achieved which are worthy of comment.
Perhaps health education should receive pride of place. Details of much of what was
achieved will be seen in the section dealing with health education, but mention should
be made of a film strip "Food Hints for the Over Sixties" which was produced by
Camera Talks here in Dagenham, with the help of the staff of the St. George's Hospital,
Hornchurch as well as their patients and some of the old people of Dagenham.
The film dealing with health education and produced by the Dagenham Film
Society made very slow progress and was still not complete by the end of the year.
I had hoped to be in a position to make one or two short films of a few minutes
duration for use in health teaching. Unfortunately I will have to defer consideration
of these until the main film is completed.
The British Medical Association subject of the year for discussion by doctors was
health education. In the report which has been issued a good many of the points quoted
from the South Essex contribution came from my Department.
Various articles were contributed to the Dagenham Post and talks given to both
local and national organisations. One to which I contributed was a Symposium at the
Royal Society of Medicine, organised by the British Geriatric Society and the Society
of Medical Officers of Health, which took as its subject " Teaching the Elderly."
Kingsley Hall Assessment Centre attracted a good deal of interest and continued
to fulfil a useful function.
Unfortunately because of limitations of time, I was unable to give as much time as
I would have liked to the Oxlow Lane Over Sixties Clinic, but at the time of writing this
: report the new Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Packer, has taken over the admini
istrative side of the clinic.
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