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62
SECTION 21
HEALTH CENTRES.
Report by the Medical Officer of Health, October, 1948, on the
Former Relief Office Premises, 135, Dawlish Road, E.10.
Reference.
The County Council has agreed that the above property
should be allocated for health purposes, and I have been asked
to submit my recommendations for the possible use of the premises
as a Health Centre.
Policy.
The policy of Leyton Corporation was that contained in
Council Minutes 3407 and 3408 of October, 1946—that provision
be made for the establishment of one new main health centre and
six subsidiary centres, and that consultant and specialist services
be provided only in the main centre.
It is the intention of the Town Planning Authority that health
centres should be established in Neighbourhood Centres.
Existing Health Centre Facilities.
The two existing health centres in the Borough—at Leyton
Green and Park House—were specially built for the purpose in
1933 and 1935 respectively. Each provides accommodation for the
combined medical, dental and nursing services of the Health and
Education Authorities. Specialist clinics are provided as follows :—
Leyton Green—Ophthalmic; orthoptic and orthopaedic.
Park House—Ear, nose and throat.
Whereas these two centres were considered to be models at
the time they were built, the great expansion in the scope of health
services since that time has been such that they can no longer be
considered adequate—in fact they are now seriously overcrowded.
The establishment of an additional health centre would
undoubtedly relieve the overcrowding and congestion at the two
existing centres. The former Relief Office buildings in Dawlish
Road are situated near the centre of that densely-populated part
of the Borough containing the Wards known as Central North and
Central South, with a combined population—according to the last
official census returns—of some 22,414 persons. At the present
time mothers and children in these Wards have no easily-accessible
health centre, and a centre at Dawlish Road would meet that
difficulty.