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possible to admit the children of parents whose needs are really
urgent, more specifically the children of widows, unmarried mothers
and mothers who are required to find employment in order that the
needs of the family can be adequately met. Strict priorities in
admission are maintained, every effort being made to ensure that
the most deserving cases receive preference.
In September I suggested to the Maternity and Child Welfare
Committee that the time had arrived for the appointment of a
Superintendent Health Visitor. The duties of such an office, I stated,
should include correlation of the work of the Health Visitors, the
arrangement of talks and demonstrations at our various Centres,
closer supervision of the day nurseries, and also the home help and
domestic help schemes, and general administrative duties centred
in the department. The Committee agreed to this proposal, following
which Miss B. E. Wellman was appointed to the post on October 1st.
Miss Wellman has performed her many and difficult duties in an
entirely satisfactory manner and has done a great deal to ensure
continued efficiency and to effect improvements where such were
indicated.
1947 also saw one other important change in the staff of the
Maternity and Child Welfare Department. Dr. M. K. Hall, who
had been Assistant Medical Officer of Health since 1939, resigned
in November to return to clinical medicine. It will be remembered
that Dr. Hall took up her duties in Southgate at an extremely
critical period; few words of mine will be required to indicate the
value of her service. It is difficult to imagine a more loyal, competent
and conscientious colleague, and there can be no doubt that Dr.
Hall's work in Southgate will be evident for many years to come in
the health and well-being of countless families.
Following the resignation of Dr. Hall, the work of supervising
our three day nurseries was allocated to the newly-appointed Superintendent
Health Visitor, to whom reference is made above. Steps
were taken to tighten up control, to institute a more detailed system
of accounting and keeping stores, and to check over various points
which required attention. This resulted in more efficiency, not only
in the running of the nurseries themselves, but in the matter of
examination of the children, the keeping of records, and the system
of admissions. I should also like to record the assistance given by
the Borough Surveyor's Department in the matter of repairs,
which are constantly required.
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