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5
The Council decided to introduce smoke control to the
whole borough and also to ask the Metropolitan Water Board to
fluoridate the water. However, if it is the intention of the Board
to wait until all the authorities that they serve decide in favour
of fluoridation before any action is taken, it will probably be a
long time before the water supply to the borough is fluoridated.
The Personal Health Services are those formerly the
responsibility of the County Council as local health authority. All
six clinics and the two day nurseries continued to operate
satisfactorily. There was no particular change in the health
visiting service, but arrangements were made for the secondment of
the first health visitor to work for part of her time in a general
practice as from the 1st January 1966 The experience gained will,
it is hoped, indicate the value of such attachments and the special
duties of the health visitor in these arrangements. If successful
the service will be extended, when possible, but at present there
are few groups of general practitioners in the borough. The health
visiting service was ably supervised by Miss F.I.Arnold, who has
since retired.
There were shortages of district nurses and midwives
throughout the year and there has been additional call on the time
of the midwives due to more cases of early discharges of mothers
and babies from hospitals.. Co-operation with the consultant
obstetrician and his staff was excellent and even closer
collaboration is probable in the future,, The Council is fortunate
in having Miss P.M.Stanley, Superintendent of Hone Nursing Service
and Non-Medical Supervisor of Midwives, in charge of this service.
There was a serious shortage of home helps throughout the
year; this is a very difficult service to maintain in an area where
there is so much competition for female labour. An intensive
recruitment campaign is planned for 1966.
As regards the mental health service a new combined junior
and adult training centre for subnormals was taken over from the
Surrey County Council; 25 of the 93 places were allocated to the
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It soon became obvious
that the centre was too small to meet the demand, and that it would
be necessary to find an alternative site for the adult workshops.
Only one mental welfare officer was transferred from the County
Council, but in spite of many difficulties several excellent and well
qualified officers were appointed, including Mr.E.V. oram, as
Principal Mental Welfare Officer.