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Health Department,
Tottenham Town Hall,
The Green,
High Road,
Tottenham, N.15.
To: The Worshipful The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the London Borough of Haringey.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the report on the health of the Borough of Haringey for the year ended
31 st December 1969.
During the year considerable thought and energy has been spent in the development of the Council's
new management structure, which brings the former Health Department under the co-ordination of
the Director of Social Services in accordance with the recommendations of the Maud Report,
although this arrangement may have to be modified in view of the Social Services Act which requires
the separation of Social Services from Health.
The report has been divided into four sections: Environmental Health and Infectious Disease; Personal
Health Service; School Health Service; and Social Services; which brings it into^line with recent
thinking "about the future of Health Departments. The Social Services and the Junior Training
School will transfer from Health to Social Services and Education respectively by 1971 and if the
second green paper is accepted the Personal and School Health Services will eventually transfer
to an Area Health Board. The local authorities will, however, retain responsibility for the very
important control of the Environment.
An important event in 1969 was the opening of a Health Centre at Stuart Crescent, Wood Green.
The new Health Centre replaces the former school clinic and it provides a comprehensive service
to include the personal health services of the Local Authority and the general medical services
offered by nine general practitioners. The Stuart Crescent Health Centre is the Council's first
Health Centre.
The immediate advantage is the provision of new premises for the health services, but long-term
advantages should bring a better and more productive co-operation between the general practitioners
and the various services now provided by the Local Authority.
In 1965 the Council considered the fluoridation of drinking water in the interest of better dental
health and decided to support the idea. The Ministry of Health took no action and at a subsequent
debate on the same subject in 1969 the Council reversed the previous decision. Fluoridation is
not likely to be achieved at this rate of progress which now compares unfavourably with the long
debate on the pasteurisation of milk or the protracted history of smallpox vaccination, so well
described by Dr. Orton later in this report. In the meantime a small number of parents now give
fluoride tablets to their children with beneficial results to their dental health.
The Council has given encouragement to the Family Planning Association by way of increased
financial assistance and the use of clinic premises, so that in addition to the customary services,
there are now facilities for unmarried women and an effective domiciliary family planning team has
passed its pilot scheme phase.
The Council has been selected as an authority eligible for Urban Aid and progress has been made
with the upgrading of pavilions in Markfield and Down Lane Parks so that they can be used by play
groups during the week. In the evenings and at weekends the same premises are used for
recreational purposes by adults. This is a valuable use of the Urban Aid scheme and helps the
public to make even better use of the Council's parks.
In conclusion I wish to record my thanks to Councillors Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Levinson, Chairmen
of the Social Services Committee and the Health Services Panel, and to the members, for their
encouragement and support. My thanks are especially due to the staff of the Health Department
for their loyal and efficient service during a busy year.
I have the honour to be your obedient servant
J.L. PATTON,
Medical Officer of Health