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forward in preventive medicine. Now is the time for other departments
concerned with the welfare of older people to see that any
deleterious influences are reduced to a minimum. These matters
concern employment, welfare, housing, flats, flatlets, meals on
wheels, pensions, taxes, the rules controlling taxes, and limitations
on income.
I have now been in the local authority health service for 30
years; and it is sufficiently long for me to see the tremendous
advantage of having the health services under one administrative
department and chief officer. I do hope that when the new Borough
is formed we shall not split into separate departments such things
as mental health, welfare, children's department, and environmental
health services. All these are so closely concerned with
the health and well-being of every household in the Borough that
they need staff who feel themselves to belong to one healthgiving
organisation and whose members feel themselves to be
colleagues in one department. Such an arrangement leads to greater
efficiency, greater interest for the members of the staff, and ,
greater economy of administration; and it avoids the empire builders
who thrive under Parkinson's law.
Apart from a good many of our older residents, the health
of the population is pretty good. There were about 60 more births
than last year and the birth rate has risen. There were 88
illegitimate births in 1961, but there were only 55 in 1955. During
the war years and just after we averaged about 120. 1206 people
died during 1961, which gives a death rate of 11.86 per thousand
which is the same as the previous year and has been steady for a
number of years. The two principle killers are still diseases of
the arteries, causing coronary thrombosis and stroke, and cancer.
Again it is a pleasure to acknowledge and commend the untiring
zeal and devotion to duty of the staff, both those with me in
Elmfield House and those outside in all branches of the service.
My deputy, Dr.Cormack, has only just recently left the department
after 12 years of devoted service. He served Twickenham faithfully
and well and I miss him very much. His successor Dr.Wilkinson has
been with me three years and is an able and capable administrator
and clinician. I am constantly indebted to her and to the heads of
the sections - Mr.Easter and Mr. Pugh.
I beg to acknowledge my indebtedness to the Chairman and Members
of the Public Health Committee for their helpfulness and support,
which is always of the greatest encouragement. I desire also, to
acknowledge with thanks the friendly co-operation and help which I
have always received from my colleagues in the other departments of
the Corporation and the other members of the Council.
I am,
Mr.Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yours sincerely,
JOHN MADDISON,
Medical Officer of Health.
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