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Health Office,
Gentleman's Row,
Enfield,
Middlesex.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the London Borough of Enfield.
I have pleasure in presenting my report on the health of the Borough for the
year 1966.
The immediate difficulties in the creation of one viable health service from
several health departments, on the formation of the London Borough of Enfield,
were more or less overcome by the beginning of 1966, and the year saw not only
the consolidation of the results of the extensive preparatory work but also a
continued expansion of the services.
This report follows the pattern set last year and includes sections on the main
aspects of the work of the Department—personal health, environmental health,
and school health. The general picture presented is one of considerable achievement,
as evidenced by the development of the services and borne out by the vital
statistics.
Although the birth rate was very slightly higher, the national figure showed a
slight decrease; and while the infant mortality rate fell to 15.6 the national figure
remained at 19.
There was no serious outbreak of infectious disease, and the notifications of
all forms of tuberculosis showed a welcome reduction of 32 cases (26 respiratory
and 6 other forms). I find it most encouraging to record this year a greater awareness
on the part of parents of the need for immunisation against various diseases. This
may be related to our greater publicity efforts and to the extension to the whole
Borough of our system of sending to children, at appropriate ages, invitation
cards to attend convenient infant welfare centres for medical examination and
immunisation.
As will be seen from the text of the report, much effort continued to be devoted
to rodent and pest control; the maintenance of fit dwellings and sound drainage;
the promotion of health and welfare in offices, shops, factories and workplaces; the
provision of pure and wholesome food and water; and the creation of an environment
of clean air with freedom from excessive noise.
Most of the well-established personal services coped adequately with the
increased demands made upon them, but the continued shortage of health visitors
hampered consideration of the development of general medical practitioner attachment
schemes; although additional supportive clerical assistance to health visitors
was arranged in order to relieve them of such duties, and make more time available
for professional duties.
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