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To the Chairman and Members of the Chigwell
Urban District Council
THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS,
I have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report of the Medical
Officer of Health for the year 1966, which includes the Annual Report of
the Chief Public Health Inspector. This report is compiled in accordance
with the Public Health Regulations 1959 and Ministry of Health Circular 1/67.
There were several new developments during the year of benefit to
the health and welfare of the population. I would mention particularly
the extensions and improvements which the Council has recently provided at
its recreational centre at Grange Farm, Chigwell. These include greatly
improved accommodation, water supplies, kitchen and catering facilities.
Also at Grange Farm, the W.R.V.S. Winged Fellowship continued to
provide their wonderful holiday service for severely handicapped persons,
and I was happy to assist them when in doubt as to the suitability of
applicants. These included many paralysed persons, spastics and advanced
cases of arthritis, requiring the maximum amount of nursing and care. No
less than 430 guests were given a fortnight's holiday during the season.
On an adjoining site, Chigwell House, the Essex County Council's
new residential and day centre for physically handicapped persons came into
being and was officially opened by Her Royal Highness the Princess Margaret.
Other innovations have been the introduction by the Essex County
Council of Cervical Cytology Screening Tests and the establishment of a
Child Guidance Clinic - both at Loughton Hall Clinic; also the formation
by the Family Planning Association of an independent committee and
organisation for their clinic at Loughton, on which I accepted an invitation
to be a co-opted member.
VITAL STATISTICS
The health of the population continues to be satisfactory.
The birth-rate for the District (13.6 per 1000) continues to be
considerably less than the comparable rate for the United Kingdom (17.4 per
1000) due allowance having been made in these figures for local differences
in age and sex distribution from the national average. Both locally and
nationally the birth rates have fallen since last year by approximately 4%,
and one may speculate as to what extent this may be due to the increasing
use of "The Pill" and to the opening of new Family Planning Clinics.
/The
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