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latter meeting got good value since the "Brains Trust" consisted of Sir
Frederick Messer , M.P., Dr. Horace Joules - Medical Superintendent at the
Central Middlesex Hospital, Dr. M. Thomas - Pathologist, Edmonton Public
Health Laboratory and Mrs. VILE. Duncan - Publications Officer of the Central
Council of Health Education, with Dr. T. Jones - Headmaster of Latymer School,
Edmonton, as Chairman. However, a good many of the population of Edmonton
got some valuable information second-hand through the account of the Brains
Trust in the columns of the Tottenham and Edmonton Weekly Herald.
Health Education in Edmonton would undoubtedly be much more effective
if it was run by one authority and one department of that authority. At
present the co-operation between the County Council and the Public Health
Department is good, but there are inevitably times when the two programmes
are 'out-of-step'. If the Health Visitors were under my general supervision,
I feel sure that a much wider and more effective programme of Health Education
could be carried out.
WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY
A great deal of help, both medical and social, is given to the
elderly people in the Borough by General Practitioners and by the paid Officers
of the County Council, mainly Health Visitors and Welfare Officers. National
Assistance officials, also, act not only as paymasters but as social advisers.
Nevertheless, the bulk of the work for old people in the Borough is carried out
by Voluntary Workers and Associations, co-ordinated in the Edmonton Welfare
Association. The report of the Secretary for 1958/59 gives a fair picture of
what is being done.
The work of the Association for the year under review has, once
again, been one of steady progress, which is proof of the need for the services
provided by the Association.
In paying its tribute to the magnificient work of the voluntary organisations
affiliated to the Association, we are sensible of the fact that,
without their co-operation and team work, many of the services now provided
would virtually cease to exist.
The Constitution, and method of working together as a team, has put
the Association in the position today of being a model of its kind, and we are
constantly asked to receive visitors and give information and advice as to how
the 'wheels go round'.
It gives great pleasure to the Association to acknowledge with grateful
thanks the work of the voluntary organisations - British Red Cross; Women's
Voluntary Service; Toe H; Salvation Army and the Citizens' Advice Bureau. We
also take this opportunity of expressing to Mr. H.B. Heafield, M.C.C. Area
Welfare Officer and Miss S.J. Briggs, Superintendent Health Visitor, M.C.C.
No.l Area, our sincere appreciation of their assistance in our work over many
years. We also value the co-operation of the National Assistance Board, Ministry
of Pensions and National Insurance, Almoners, North Middlesex Hospital,
local Doctors, etc.
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