View report page

GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
Hospitals
I can add little to the remarks which I have made in the last
few Annual Reports relating to the hospital services available to the
Burgesses of Southgate, particularly the comments which I made
in the Annual Report for 1959. The situation has altered very
little, and it is still particularly difficult to obtain admission to
hospital of aged persons who are not acutely ill. I invariably try
to assist any general practitioner who asks for my help, and am
happy to say that the support which I have been able to give
general practitioners has, in many instances, proved successful.
Care of the Aged
It is extremely pleasing to be able to report that the Old
People's Centre in Southgate is now open. I am quite sure that this
Centre will prove of the greatest value to old people, and that in
many ways it will add considerably to their comfort and well-being.
As the Council will be aware, I am hoping, as Area Medical
Officer, to institute a clinic for old persons at the Old People's
Centre. Up to the present, however, the project has had to be
held up, as I am extremely anxious to ensure the full co-operation
of all general practitioners before any further steps are taken. I
have done my best to make it clear that this Old People's Clinic
will be much more social than medical. Although simple medical
examinations may be undertaken by the Medical Officer in charge,
i.e. urine testing, sight testing, blood pressure examination, etc., no
attempt will be made to carry out any more elaborate examinations.
On the other hand, we will try to help the old people by suggestions
as to future employment, hobbies, diet and the like. In short, our
aim will be to try to keep old people healthy, and to obviate the
need for a visit to their general practitioner. As will be seen by
what I have just said, we should not in any way encroach on
general practitioners' preserves but should actually help them in
their work. I have every hope that the problems which exist at
present will be resolved within the near future, and am quite sure
that we will have the goodwill of all the general practitioners within
the Borough.
As I have mentioned in previous reports, our Health Visitors,
Home Nurses and Home Helps continue to assist the aged in every
possible way.
17