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7
The welfare section of the department, under Mr. F.J. Meacock,
Chief Welfare Officer, faced many difficulties, particularly in
connection with accommodation for the elderly. Only six old
converted properties, none with lifts, in addition to 40 beds in an
old type institution in Richmond, were transferred from the County
Council.
The full benefits of combined health and welfare in one
department are in the main still to come when services for the
prevention, care and after-care of the sick under the National Health
Service Acts, and the welfare services for the aged and the
permanently and substantially handicapped under the National
Assistance Acts are fully integrated. The Ten-Year Development Plan
for the health and welfare services was prepared during the year and
approved by the Council and the Ministry of Health. The Plan
includes in the first five years new premises to replace the clinics
at South Place, Surbiton, and Grange Road, Kingston, and the building
of old people's homes.
The establishment of a combined health and welfare department
has increased the potential for helping problem families and families
with problems. There is now a good team of social welfare officers
under Miss M.Birley, Senior Social Welfare Officer, dealing with the
welfare and prevention of break-up of families, in addition to the
care of the aged and the handicapped,,
The demand for the chiropody service for expectant mothers,
old people and the handicapped, increased considerably during the year.
I am pleased to be able to report that the health of school
children in the borough is very satisfactory. Out of 5,7l6 children
examined at routine medical inspections in schools, only 11 were
classified as being in an unsatisfactory physical condition. Better
housing, clothing and feeding and health education have played their
part in the improvement in the health of children in recent years.
An important factor too is the close co-operation that exists between
hospital, specialist, general practitioner and local authority health
services. This benefits particularly the handicapped child whose
needs, through increasing knowledge and awareness of the problems, are
met more fully and at an earlier age.
The generally improved health of the school child may in
the near future permit experimental variation in the method of
deploying the school health staff to be of the greatest service to
those in the greatest need. During the year this service took a
more active interest in health education in schools with gratifying
results. Medical officers and health visitors were invited on many
occasions by head teachers to give talks and initiate what usually