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NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT, (PART III) SERVICES
The Local Health Authority (Essex County Council) have delegated most of the administration
of the Part III services to the Leyton Health Area Sub Committee. The Committee
under the Chairmanship of Alderman Mrs,J.Hammond O.B.E.J.P., has shown great interest in
the service.
There are three Health Services Clinics in the area and plans are in hand to modernise
both Park House Clinic and Leyton Green Clinic by the erection of central reception desks
whereat the public will be properly directed to the appropriate clinic session. With the
disposition of the Chiropody services to the clinics the use of these premises has increased
and the thousands who attend the clinics for vaccination and immunisation also increases the
need for proper direction and control.
The Ante natal and child welfare clinic sessions have continued to be well attended.
The Ante natal relaxation classes which are incorporated with lectures to mothers-to be
are well appreciated by those who take advantage of this service.
The Mothers Club and Keep Pit class held on Wednesday evenings at Leyton Green Clinic
continues to be a live organisation. I had hoped that similar clubs would be inaugurated
at the other Clinics however so far this wish has not been fulfilled.
The "take up® of welfare foods continues to decline both locally and nationally. The
reason for the fall in the issues of milk orange juice and cod liver oil is, in part, due
to the much wider range of protective foods available to everybody at reasonable cost.
The two day nurseries have been fully occupied during the year. In both nurseries
there is an increase of young babies who need much individual attention, especially with
feeding etc., at one time there were fifteen bottle fed babies in one of the nurseries.
More and more medico social cases are being admitted and the day nurseries are playing a
positive role in preventive medicine.
The midwifery service continues to cope with the small percentage of home confinements
(less than 20% of the whole) and I pay tribute to the excellent co operation that exists
with the Lady Rayleigh Training Home both in the midwifery work and their excellent Home
Nursing Service.
The Domestic Helps attached to the department and the Home Nurses often meet in
patients homes and it is pleasing to record both the co operation and common purpose of
assisting the patients.
The increases in the vaccination against poliomyelitis has imposed an enormous amount
of work on the medical nursing and clerical staffs. This together with the third or
"booster" dose has meant evening sessions and extra sessions at other times. Although the
peak has now passed it is regretable that our efforts to persuade more of those in the
eligible age groups to register failed whereas the emotionalism due to the sudden death of
a professional footballer succeeded.
The attendances at the three foot clinics continues to be maintained. The waiting
time between treatments averages between 11 13 weeks. With a shortage of full time chiropodists
and the increase of foot conditions in an ageing population there is little hope
for a decrease in the waiting time.
Each year I have to report an increase in the loan of sickroom equipment. Unfortunately,
after ten years of the Act much of the equipment requires renewal so the financial
provision for equipment will increase during the next few years. Requests for invalidchairs
is the main demand and it would appear that a great deal of these demands are for
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