London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Friern Barnet 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Friern Barnet]
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Death Rates recorded in the last three years.
An analysis of the various causes of death
will be found at the end of the Report.
The Deaths and Death-Rates for the past five years have been:
Death-Rates.
| Year. | No. of Deaths. | Friern Barnet. | England & Wales. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 284 | 10.5 | 12.5 |
| 1952 | 290 | 10.8 | 11.3 |
| 1953 | 450 | 14.9 | 11.4 |
| 1954 | 434 | 14.2 | 11.3 |
| 1955 | 474 | 15.6 | 11.7 |
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES.
Hospitals.
The position regarding the availability of
hospital beds has altered very little within the past
twelve months. On numerous occasions and in various
quarters, I have stressed the obvious and urgent need for
geriatric beds to be made available for the elderly of
Friern Barnet. One must admit that the position, although
very unsatisfactory does not allow of our concern, but one
can at least say that the matter has been thoroughly ventilated
and that the position has been very clearly made
known to those concerned. One can only hope that sympathy,
which is always expressed, will shortly be translated into
practical help. Until that comes about, general practitioners
will still esperience the greatest difficulty in
getting their elderly chronic sick into hospital, even when
this presents the only solution to a tragic difficulty.
Friern Barnet may be a prosperous, delightful
district, but it still remains a fact that we have many old
people who are in need from time to time of a stay in
hospital. The Council can rest assured that I will
continue to press this point whenever and wherever possible
until conditions improve.
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