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11
To:
THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF
THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have the honour to present a Report for the year 1971 on
the services administered by the Health Department of the
London Borough of Bromley.
The separation of Health and Social Services Departments on
the 1st April 1971 was accomplished with the minimum of disturbance
and the maximum of goodwill between the Departments
particularly on the allocation of accommodation. The fact that
much the same accommodation in Sherman House could still be
used was a major factor in maintaining ease of communication
and co-ordination of services. The services of the Management
Service Unit of the Authority were enlisted in a restructuring and
streamlining of the Health Department coupled with a reorganisation
of the Nursing Section on lines indicated by the Mayston
Report.
It was decided to proceed with the study of the Medical,
Nursing and Administrative Sections first of all in view of
approaching National Health Service Reorganisation in 1974 and
the need to give to staff who would take part in the Reorganisation
the greatest possible length of experience in a new administrative
structure resembling that with which assimilation would
be achieved.
At the same time, as previous annual reports have shown, the
practical work of the medical and nursing staff has been increasingly
integrated with the work of hospitals and general medical
practice in those particular directions where there is a close
affinity of purpose; and all but complete integration has been
achieved. The final phase of restructuring of the Environmental
Health Section can be dealt with in the light of better knowledge
of the type of structure needed for the Authority in the
future; and one best adapted for liaison with the personal health
services transferred to the new Health Authorities.
In the final detailed shaping of services the knowledge derived
from local statistics will undoubtedly play an important part, and
so this part of the annual report receives first commentary.
Statistics
The fall in births continued and the total births (live and
stillbirths) was 92 fewer than last year. As the birth rates for
Greater London and for England and Wales remain the same the
fall in births is that more significant. Though the stillbirth rate