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9
During the year, the Department of Health and Social Security
published a report of a Sub-Committee of the Standing Maternity and
Midwifery Advisory Committee. This Committee, under the Chairmanship
of Sir John Peel, considered and reported on the future of the
domiciliary midwifery service and the question of bed needs for maternity
patients. The message of the report can be summarised as follows
The integration of the three branches of the health service in relation
to the provision of maternity services and the aim towards 100% hospital
confinement. This report, together with the commissioning of the large
new Maternity Department at Northwick Park Hospital, seemed to
offer an excellent opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of setting up an
integrated midwifery service. As a result, a maternity steering group was
constituted to discuss and eventually report on the matter to the various
authorities concerned.
Twice monthly visits of the mobile miniature radiography unit
continued during the year with good attendances. In addition, the usual
triennial survey visit of the mass x-ray service took place in the Borough
during March and April. Once again, full publicity by means of posters,
leaflets and press notices was given and a reasonable response from the
public was achieved. During the year, it was indicated that, due to the low
incidence of new cases now being found by means of the mobile mass
x-ray service nationally, other means of meeting the needs of chest x-ray
services in the regions might be required, eg., by means of static units in
hospitals. The Council indicated to the North West Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board it's strong preference to the retention of a mobile unit in
Harrow, bearing in mind the statutory duties to arrange for the periodic
x-ray of all personnel working with children and also of course, the very
considerable preventative value of the service to the public in general.
During the course of this year, several circulars were issued by
Government Departments on various aspects of the service.
Circular 1/70 set out the timetable for the implementation of the
Local Authority's Social Services Act 1970, which instructs Local Authorities
to set up Social Services Departments to deal with the Welfare and
Children's Services, the Mental Health Services, the Home Help Services
and the day care of children. Traditionally, these last three services have
been more or less "health services" but under the Act will now join the
new Social Services Department. These artificial barriers have never
existed in Harrow, which, since 1965, has had a combined Health, Welfare
and Children's Department. It is to be hoped that, even with the setting up
of thenew Social Services Department, theexcellent team effort and mutual
co-operation built up over the years in the various sections of the old
Health, Welfare and Children's Department will continue to flourish to
the benefit of the community services in the Borough in general.
Circular 5/70 suggested ways of improving Meals-on-Wheels Services
and asked Local Authorities to review their arrangements. A full report