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14
B.—GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
IN THE AREA.
1.—Public Health Officers of the Authority.—There were no
changes in the officers employed by your Authority.
2.—Laboratory Facilities.— (See I.D. Section).
3.—Ambulance Facilities.—These are available from a local
depot in Walthamstow which is administered centrally from
Chelmsford.
4.—Scabies Clinic.—The arrangements at the special treatment
centre detailed in previous reports were continued.
Three sessions per week are held at the Clinic premises, which
are situated behind the Public Baths in High Street. Treatment is
by appointment only (i.e., through a doctor or through the Health
Department).
83 cases were treated during the year, receiving 262 treatments.
The treatment of school children from the Forest Division was
agreed at a fee of 7/6d. per treatment.
5.—Hospitals.—There were no changes during 1949 in the
hospital services used by the inhabitants of the Borough.
It is understood that a new hospital with 500 beds may be
commenced at Wanstead during next year. Unfortunately, however,
the travelling facilities to and from Wanstead are not at all
convenient for Walthamstow residents.
The second Annual Report of the Forest Group Hospital
Management Committee records the following :— " It is regretted
that the Board has not been able to include the proposed extensions
at the Connaught Hospital in their three-year Capital Building
programme. There is room for an additional 180 beds on the
present site with the acquisition of the Old Town Hall and the
Church School. More beds are urgently needed as Walthamstow
and Chingford are highly industrialised areas with a combined
population of 174,000."
The Report refers to the concern of the Committee with
regard to the lack of accommodation for the chronic sick, and
to arrangements made with three private nursing homes.
Regional Hospital Boards have asked that Medical Officers
of Health shall support when necessary on "social grounds," the
recommendations of medical practitioners for the admission of the
chronic sick to hospital. All possible help was given when requested
but even so, at the end of 1949, nineteen elderly chronic sick
patients still awaited admission to a suitable hospital.