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Last year I referred to the plethora of significant reports on local government
management, social services re-organisation, health service administration and
medical education.
It was expected that government policy would become evident during the year;
and soon after the end of the year the Local Authority Social Services Bill and the
second Green Paper on the National Health Service were issued.
The coming year may well clarify the lines along which re-organisation of the
Health Services and Social Services will proceed; and my fears of continued reliance
on a multitude of liaison committees which have prevailed in the past in an attempt
to uphold an inadequate re-organisation, may be ill-founded.
In June, we learned with regret of the death of Alderman Mrs. G. M. Jay,
O.B.E., J.P., member and former chairman of the Health Committee. Mrs. Jay had
given over forty years of service to the community, her particular interests being in
the fields of Health and Education, and especially the Maternity and Child Health
and Hospital services. The Health Department is grateful for her interest, enthusiasm
and guidance in the department's activities over many years.
Once again, the contribution of material for, and the compilation of, this report
have been dependent on the combined efforts of many people and I am indeed
grateful to my deputy and to the other members of the department for their invaluable
help in preparing this report and their loyal and diligent support during the year.
I would also like to voice my grateful appreciation of the support and encouragement
of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Members of the Health and Education
Committees and the willing co-operation of my colleagues in other departments.
WILLIAM D. HYDE
Medical Officer of Health
Principal School Medical Officer
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