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STAFF
In addition to my duties as Medical Officer of Health for the
Borough, I am in administrative control of Part III Services under
the National Health Service Act, 1946, sections 21, 22, £3, 24, 25, 26,
28 and 29. There are normally 2 medical officers of the Essex County
Council working in the Borough and undertaking duties appertaining
to Maternity and Child Welfare as well as 3 practitioners who regularly
attend Child Welfare Clinics being employed on a sessional
basis.
HEALTH CENTRES (Section 21)
Originally 6 sites were earmarked for the erection of Health Centres—all
purpose, e.g. where General Practitioner and Local Authority
services would be carried out in the same building. Experience
has shown that there is little or no likelihood of these centres being
built in the forseeable future and, indeed, their value, in a district
such as this, might be of doubtful benefit to the Public who would
probably prefer to continue attendance at their doctor's surgeries. As
a result, 5 of the 6 sites have now been relinquished. The tendency
to-day appears to be towards group practice in partnership rather
than Health Centres, which are being built only on large Housing
Estates and in New Towns.
At the same time there is a definite need in the Borough for a
modern Health Service Clinic where maternity, Child Welfare and
other Local Authority services could be carried out. No such clinic
at present exists, and we are obliged to work in various Church
halls and adapted houses. A very suitable site adjacent to the present
clinic building in High Road, South Woodford, was approved in principle,
but, unfortunately, it was disposed of before negotiations for
its acquisition could be commenced.
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN (Section 22)
There were 565 attendances at the ante-natal clinic in 118, Hermon
Hill, this figure being almost identical with that of the previous year.
At this clinic, sessions are held weekly, midwives examining their
own patients and working in close co-operation with the general
practitioners concerned.
One general practitioner conducts an ante-natal clinic for his own
patients at his surgery, with a Local Authority midwife in attendance.
The scheme works well and achieves a maximum of co-operation between
doctor and midwife.
All expectant mothers have a blood specimen taken for examination
and all with a rhesus negative result are advised to have their
confinement in hospital.
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