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Clinics; the latter clinics are provided with x-ray facilities which obviate
delay to the dental officers and travelling for the patients. I recall the
small room and the chair, used for anaesthetic sessions, at Valentines
Mansion, in the 1930s. The provision at these four Clinics (also at Newbury
Hall) of office accommodation for the Health Visitors, serving the adjacent
areas, has saved much travel time and enabled many records to be readily
available to the Health Visitors.
Sessions of most of the Specialist and Other Clinics are now held
at the four Health Services Clinics, thus enabling the facilities to be
reasonably convenient to most users; we have followed the modern trend
of reaching out to the people.
Much has been written in the press as to the need for full co-operation
in all branches of the National Health Services. Few M.O.Hs. have striven
more sincerely than Dr. Gordon to achieve this. I wish he had had more
satisfying results, but I know he will go on with his efforts.
It is my firm opinion that the health services administered in the
Borough are modern, efficiently run, and I believe the majority of those
who use the services would agree (the public opinion poll held in 1958
supports this view). Public Health is, and must be, a developing subject
with new facets. As the demand for services alters, so do the services.
Loyalty to, and enthusiasm for, their duties has been the creed
of the administrative and clerical staff with whom I have been fortunate
to serve.
An important contrast to the numerous changes in the personnel
and buildings — I have occupied the same room in the Georgian splendour
of Valentines Mansion throughout my 29½ years.
I leave a united and happy team, obsessed with one ideal, the
furtherance of the health services for the benefit of all residents and their
continuing progress will be a delight to me — I shall never lose touch.
F.J. HOCKING,
Chief Administrative Assistant.
Public Health Offices,
ILFORD.
November, 1961.