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
Leyton 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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87
SECTION 28
PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE.
Foot Clinic.
Annual Attendances—1936 to 1948.
The Municipal Foot Clinic was opened at High Road Baths, Bakers Arms, in March, 1936, and the following list shows the number of attendances for treatment each year since that time
| Year. | First attendances (new cases). | Subsequent attendances. | Total attendances. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | (from March) | 1,281 | 3,341 | 4,622 |
| 1937 | 879 | 5,650 | 6,529 | |
| 1938 | 1,054 | 7,702 | 8,756 | |
| 1939 | War years | 564 | 5,617 | 6,181 |
| 1940 | 387 | 4,730 | 5,117 | |
| 1941 | 444 | 4,269 | 4,713 | |
| 1942 | 623 | 5,841 | 6,464 | |
| 1943 | 484 | 5,354 | 5,838 | |
| 1944 | 500 | 5,572 | 6,072 | |
| 1946 | 436 | 5,599 | 6,035 | |
| 1946 | 822 | 8,220 | 9,042 | |
| 1947 | 932 | 9,070 | 10,002 | |
| 1948 | 1,313 | 11,998 | 13,311 |
Staff.
In 1936 the staff consisted of the Senior Chiropodist (Mr. J.
O'Brien, M.I.S.Ch.) and a Clerk Receptionist. A second full-time
chiropodist was appointed in 1937, the third in 1946, and during
the year under review (April, 1948) it was found to be necessary
to increase the staff to four full-time chiropodists.
Public Demand for Facilities.
With a well-qualified and experienced staff of skilled chiropodists
working in well-equipped premises residents in Leyton have become
increasingly "foot conscious" and I consider that the public
demand for treatment is likely to outstrip the supply for some time
to come. The most disappointing feature connected with the
service is the length of time patients have to wait before they can
be treated.
Effect of National Health Service Act, 1946.
When the provisions of the National Health Service Act, 1946
came into operation on 5th July, 1948 there was a certain amount
of doubt as to whether municipal foot clinics would be taken over