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The Council was generous during the year in authorising
increases in the establishment to meet increased demands
for service, but we were in many instances unable to recruit
enough staff, and we had shortages of Dentists,
Nurses, Medical Auxiliaries, Public Health Inspectors,
Social Workers, Hostel Staffs and Domestic Helps,
which interfered in varying degree with our plans.
Ten-Year Development Plan
The Council was required during the year to submit to
the Ministry of Health a ten-year development plan of
its Health and Welfare Services, and an early survey of
the transferred services revealed deficiencies, the most
pressing of which was judged to be lack of adequate
training facilities for mentally subnormal persons. A new
Adult Training Centre is urgently necessary, and it is
fortunate that a site already at the Council's disposal on
industrially zoned land is available for this purpose.
Planning of this major project is proceeding.
Urgent priority will also be given to modernising some
of the older clinic premises in the area to provide for an
increased range of services and also to provide a satisfactory
standard of accommodation for clinic based staff.
The Ten-Year Development Plan was submitted to the
Ministry of Health in November, and the Council is
under obligation to review it regularly so that at all times
it represents a programme for the next ten years ahead.
Staffing
The Department was fortunate in retaining the services
of most of the personnel who formerly served the area
under the Essex County Council and Councils of the two
constituent authorities of Hornchurch and Romford, and
also in recruiting experienced officers from outside
whose help and advice has been invaluable in developing
the service, and I would here especially like to acknowledge
the assistance given by Dr. J. T. Jones, Deputy
Meidical Officer of Health, who joined us from the City
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Mr. J. F. J. Thomas, Administrative
Officer, formerly with the County Borough of East
Ham, and Miss K. Wells, a professionally trained Social
Worker in the Mental Health Service of the London
County Council, who was appointed Principal Welfare
Officer to head the Social Worker team.
The body of this Report contains details of the many fields
of activity in which the department engaged, some of which, I
think, are noteworthy, but as it might be invidious to stress
certain activities here, I commend the full report in the conviction
that perusal will be found most rewarding.
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