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Vital Statistics are becoming increasingly important in as much
as the wrong conclusion can be as easily reached as the right one.
Their correlation with social developments and scientific progress
are very helpful in the hands of the expert.
In order to bring about this co-ordinated effort for the success
of the National Health Service Act, a knowledge of the structure
of the Health Services, and the role of our co-workers in the field
of health, both official and voluntary, is necessary. There are
many barriers in the way of this objective because the Act itself
is divided into three great sections, and the Local Health Authorities
have further divided these sections into smaller departments, all
very frequently working independently of one another. The School
Health Service frequently comes in for some unjustifiable criticism
by people who should know better.
Over the passage of years the School Health Service has fully
justified itself. The British system has been compared, unfavourably,
with the American system. It is generally accepted that the
American School Health Service is not as advanced as ours, and
the American Journal of Public Health states that this matter is
receiving attention. It is true that wider authority for our own
Medical Officers is necessary, otherwise delay is experienced in
bringing about the simplest remedy. Housing in Edmonton is now
beginning to receive attention. The ageing property in Beaconsfield
Road dealt with during this year was long overdue, and it is to be
hoped that quite a lot of other similar property will receive attention
in the near future.
Housing is a very important health factor to a community.
It would appear, however, that the need is endless.
The general public is now becoming interested in the question
of re-conditioning old property, on account of the publicity given
to the Croydon and Stockton-on-Tees experiments. Quite a large
number of houses in Edmonton which are in fairly good condition,
architecturally, but at the same time do not possess the amenities
of a modern house, could be dealt with in this manner. Search
should begin immediately for such property and the owners
informed of the facilities available for assistance.
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