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66
WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS
J. C. Kermode, m.a.p.h.i., m.r.s.h.
Chief Public Health Inspector
By January, 1966, the delays and frustrations, inseparable
from the early days of the Borough, were largely forgotten. Every
effort was made to catch up on arrears of work, to tackle the
problems of the present and to prepare for tasks which will have
to be undertaken in the future.
It is too often forgotten that the work of the section is
mandatory. If some new duty is imposed by legislation, or a fresh
development arises from a change in Council policy, the existing
work cannot be discarded. For instance, no matter how urgent
inspections in connection with a particular slum clearance area
may appear, they have to take second place to the investigations
of an outbreak of food poisoning or a complaint by a ratepayer
about a serious public health nuisance. Such matters, and there are
many of them, cannot be ignored nor in some cases, left until
another day.
For a time, some of the routine tasks may receive less attention
but this can be only a short-term expedient. If fewer visits are
paid to offices, swimming baths or food premises, it becomes only
too obvious in a lowering of standards, laboriously built up over
the course of years. These standards are designed to protect the
health of the public or for the welfare of employees. They are one
of the indices by which a Borough may be judged. Even if there
is no serious consequence, any significant deterioration is a reflection
on the staff and ultimately on the Council.
As in 1965 the great problem has been to accomplish the
work in the face of staff shortages. At no time was it possible to
raise the inspectorate within three of the established number.
During the year one of our Student Public Health Inspectors
qualified but, unfortunately left the Authority to take up an
appointment elsewhere. The establishment of pupils was raised
by one making a total of five.
Offices, Shops and Railway Premises
During the year better progress was made in the initial
inspection of offices, shops and railway premises under the Act
which came into operation in 1964. At the end of the year 2,278
premises were registered of which 1,245 had been visited. It is
known that the owners of a considerable number of businesses
have so far failed to apply for registration but systematic inspecting
will reveal these. One of the duties placed upon the staff is the
investigation of accidents occurring in these premises. Sixty-four