View report page

HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
KINGS ROAD,
RICHMOND,
SURREY,
TW10 6EF.
July, 1973.
To : The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for 1972.
The pace of the impending reorganisation of the National Health Service increased.
During the year you took certain decisions to ensure that health activities took place on
one site or in one building. The nursing staff property at Ranelagh Avenue, Barnes, was
transferred to the Social Services Committee. At the same time accommodation at Essex
House used by another Committee, was made available for the community nursing service.
Other transfers have and will be completed during 1973.
I would direct your attention to the completion of the Clean Air Act programme,
the details of which are in the main report. There is fashionable, even fanatical, fervour
on the subject of pollution of the environment. However, credit must be given to the
substantial contribution made by society in Greater London to combat air pollution and
the elimination of smog and "pea-soupers" of former eras.
The incidence of commoner infectious diseases has continued to decline over the
years. The "killers" and "cripplers" like diphtheria, poliomyelitis and whooping cough
have been driven out of our community by protective immunisation against them. Their
continuing absence can only be achieved if the immunity indices are kept high. Therefore
strict vigilance by the health and medical disciplines is vital to raise these indices further.
Health education must be progressed in this field with particular reference to protection
against measles and rubella. It is one thing to have health information but it is
quite another for the individual to be motivated to translate this information into action.
Parents have a responsibility to themselves, their children, and society, to see to it that
individual protection against infectious disease is undertaken. The majority does so, but
a minority does not.
There is a subtle difference between health education and education in the utilization
of health and social welfare services. The former is the presentation of health information
by facts and reasoned argument, not exaggerated propaganda. The monitoring of success
is the reduction of the mortality and morbidity rates due to certain disease processes.
The latter is a new facet in health service operations and of which we know little.
Obviously individuals and the professions must know of, and how to use, the facilities of
community health services. Such examples are youth advice, family planning, and well
women clinics.
In accordance with Department of Health & Social Security Circular 1/73, paragraph
8 (d), it is noted that you took no further action during the year.
Miss D. M. Woods, your Superintendent Health Visitor, retired at the end of June
1972. Her extensive knowledge and calm presence welded together an effective health
visiting team, especially during the early days of the Borough's existence. We wish her
well in her retirement.
5