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54
F. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT (PART III) SERVICES
The Local Health Authority functions under the National
Health Service Act are administered by the Walthamstow Health
Area Sub-Committee on behalf of the County Health Committee
(Essex County Council). Details are given in statistical
form on pages 63 to 78.
Section 21 HEALTH CENTRES
During 1960 the Health Area Sub-Committee recommended the
establishment in Walthamstow of four main Health Services Clinics to
serve the following neighbourhoods:
(a) Highams Park
(b) Higham Hill
(c) West Avenue
(d) St. James' Street
(e) Hurst Road.
In addition a subsidiary clinic in the Wood Street area was
proposed.
The clinics at Highams Park, West Avenue, and St. James'
Street are intended as replacements of the existing inadequate or
unsuitable premises. The Hurst Road Clinic will absorb the clinics
and sessions at present accommodated in the Town Hall in order to
release more rooms for use by the Walthamstow Borough Council's staff.
In the case of Higham Hill an extension of the existing Clinic
built in 1959 is recommended in order to provide more adequate
accommodation for the Health Services operated there.
The County Health Committee subsequently approved the provision
of clinics in Hurst Road and at Highams Park and these were included
in the provisional programmes for 1963/4 and 1964/5 respectively.
It was at one stage proposed that the Hurst Road Clinic should be
built partly on land owned by the Walthamstow Borough Council and partly
on adjoining land owned by the Walthamstow Child Welfare Society. Unfortunately
certain difficulties arose which necessitated a decision to
build the Clinic on the Borough Council's land only.
Negotiations in regard to the acquisition of the land were
proceeding at the date of preparation of this Report
General Dental Service
The work of the General Dental Service continues to contract
owing to the shortage of dental staff. However an additional surgeon
was recruited towards the end of the year which should improve the
situation.