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will be the financial saving to your Council. The appointment of an adequate
number of well qualified and experienced sanitary inspectors can therefore
be regarded as a sound financial investment, and that consideration has no
doubt influenced other sanitary authorities to take the steps necessary either
to increase their staff or at least to retain their existing staff.
In April I reported that in my opinion 12 Sanitary Inspectors was the
the minimum number required to enable the Council to carry out satisfactorily
and promptly its statutory duties and responsibilities under the
Housing Acts and existing public health legislation. In the short period of
six months thereafter, three inspectors left your then inadequate staff in
order to take up higher-paid appointments in other areas.
SCHEME FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF
STUDENT SANITARY INSPECTORS
In October the Establishment Committee—Minute 1326(b)—asked the
Public Health Committee to consider the question of the submission to them
by the Medical Officer of Health of a scheme for the training of two Student
Sanitary Inspectors.
Report by the Medical Officer of Health, November, 1954.
The Pre-requisites of a Student-Training Scheme.
No scheme for training of Student Sanitary Inspectors can hope to
succeed unless there are in the permanent establishment a sufficient number
of experienced Sanitary Inspectors, settled in the Council's employ, who
can provide the necessary practical training and supervision of the students.
The importance of this practical training is emphasised in the following
extract from a publication issued by the Royal Sanitary Institute and
Sanitary Inspectors' Joint Board for the guidance of persons wishing to take
the examination.
"Great importance is attached to practical knowledge such as a
candidate should have acquired in the course of his training. A desirably
high standard of theoretical knowledge cannot compensate for any failure
to satisfy the examiners in respect of thorough practical familiarity with
the work and duties of a Sanitary Inspector."
In fairness to the. students who may entrust their future to our care,
arrangements made for their practical training and supervision should be
based on a solid foundation of the technical experience possessed by those
responsible for their tuition.
The Chief Sanitary Inspector will be responsible for co-ordinating and
directing the practical training of students in accordance with the requirements
of the Royal Sanitary Institute and Sanitary Inspectors' Examination
Joint Board. He will also be responsible for ensuring that the best possible
use is made of students' services as Sanitary Assistants.
Suggested Scheme for Training Two Student Sanitary Inspectors.
1. Student Sanitary Inspectors shall be designated as temporary
officers of the Council.
2. Applicants for appointment as Student Sanitary Inspectors shall be
young persons who have completed their period of National Service.