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84
WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
J. C. Kermode, m.a.p.h.i., m.r.s.h.
Chief Public Health Inspector.
This report covers the work of the Public Health Inspectorate
in the Borough during the first 9 months of its existence, together
with that performed by the staff of constituent authorities for the
3 months ended on 31st March, 1965.
It has not been easy to weld together the various systems used
by the five authorities. These were of a diverse nature consisting
of 2 boroughs, an Urban District with a vast rural acreage, a very
small Urban District with a character resembling an inner London
Borough and half of a further Urban District.
From the outset it was decided to provide a uniform service
for all parts of the new Borough. Amongst other preliminary
considerations it was necessary to abrogate certain local Bye Laws
and to formulate new ones applicable to the whole area.
On account of both its acreage and the sheer weight of population
the Borough was too unwieldy to be dealt with as a whole.
The situation was aggravated by the administrative headquarters
being far from centrally situated.
It was thus thought desirable to divide the district into three
Divisions as follows:—
1. Orpington and St. Paul's Cray.
2. Bromley, Chislehurst and Mottingham.
3. Beckenham and Penge.
In drawing the boundaries of these Divisions it was expedient
not to split previous authorities' districts but this was not done in
a slavish fashion and minor adjustments were made.
Similarly, although inspectors, rodent operators and disinfecting
staff have been allocated to each Division, the staffs are readily
able to assist in any part of the Borough where their services may
be required at any particular time.
Although this reorganisation has not proceeded without
teething troubles, the new system is now firmly established and,
looking back on the past 9 months, the main problems which have
faced the Section have arisen not from administrative problems
but from the shortage of Public Health Inspectors. The Borough
started with a deficiency of eight, although by the end of the year
it had been reduced to three.
Until a full staff has been recruited it cannot be hoped
entirely to overcome the disturbance of reorganisation nor to cope
with additional duties which new legislation continues to pose.