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The Health Committee agreed to sponsor a three-year research project at Brunei University
concerned with the investigation of a number of environmental factors in Hillingdon including the
possible identification of fuel hydrocarbons in the air, the state of filled land, and the analysis of the
chemical composition of local water-ways. It is hoped that this comprehensive study will provide
much basic information about the effect of environment on health.
There were no further developments during the year concerning the fluoridation of water
supplies, but the application of fluoride gels to the teeth of individual children was continued and a
pilot scheme for fluoride mouth rinses in schools was commenced.
Personal Health Services
The expansion of family planning services was continued throughout the year. On 1st April
an entirely free advisory service was introduced and in addition to the provision of free supplies on
medical and social grounds certain additional groups were also provided with free supplies. Improved
publicity was reflected in an increased demand for services and greater clinic attendance. New
clinics were opened at Elers Road and at the adapted Harefield health centre whilst existing clinics
at Mount Vernon hospital and at Laurel Lodge were expanded. Later in the year the Family Planning
Association was able to open two further evening clinics at Grange Park and at Oak Farm.
Although the average number of mothers attending per session was reduced at most child
health centres the number of children examined by a medical officer increased by 7.2% which
represents an additional five children every working day. Since many of these children attend by
appointment it seems likely that the reduction in numbers attending per session reflects the trend for
mothers to visit the centres in order to receive specialist advice rather than attending on a routine
repetitive basis.
Proposals for the development of the home nursing service foreshadowed in the previous year
were implemented by the recruitment of a much increased number of state enrolled nurses, and
nursing auxiliaries. The concept of a nursing team led by a state registered nurse who deploys other
grades of staff according to their professional skills was further developed and resulted in a much
improved level of service. A work study of the health visiting service fully confirmed the local need
for the national staffing levels proposed by the Department of Health and Social Security, and suggested
that, in addition, some of the work could be undertaken by less qualified staff. A separate
establishment of clinic nurses was therefore agreed during the year together with the support of
nursing auxiliaries and clerical assistants. A phased programme was commenced which will allow
most of the staffing levels suggested by the work study report to be implemented by the beginning
of 1974.
The development of health education continued and a health education officer took up her
duties during September. This is an area where spectacular results cannot be expected in a short
period of time, but the steady increase in demand for the service noted during the year is most
encouraging.
Social Services
The final separation of the joint administrative support section between the health and social
services departments was accomplished in anticipation of the reorganisation of the National Health
Service. The new arrangements allowed a better standard of service to be given to the health department
with a greater emphasis on manpower planning. A number of studies were undertaken to
predict likely staff patterns in the future.
Community Medicine
The reorganised National Health Service will also incorporate the newly defined discipline of
community medicine. The wide ranging activities covered by this specialty include the assessment
of health needs, and the evaluation of health services. In order to assist in this important development
a statistician was appointed and took up his duties in September. At present his activities are concerned
with the identification of appropriate data and the analysis of existing statistical patterns.
A comprehensive analysis of the infant mortality trends in Hillingdon is reported on page 15.
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