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thoroughly carried out. Local health authorities have
suitable data-processing machinery, and many have
computers but nevertheless considerable resources in
money and skilled personnel, both medical and lay,
will be required if the vitally necessary processing,
selection, recording, diagnosis, treatment, feedback
and recall is not to become overloaded and inefficient.
As there is a ceiling on resources, where possible
selective as opposed to mass screening should be
carried out. Such protection should be related to the
general economic position, age, sex and occupational
group which will give the most effective yield and the
persons who will respond to treatment. Alleviation of
much human discomfort and distress may be possible
if resources are used sensibly.
The formation of a team of family doctors, local
health authority and hospital staff is yet again a
necessary part of the procedure, and health centre
practice would naturally facilitate the formation of
such teams.
Health Services. Section 21 Health Centres
Soon after my appointment in July 1964 I
commenced to explore the possibility of positioning
the proposed central co-ordinating health centre of the
new borough on the site surrounding the existing
clinic and health offices at 92 Bath Road Hounslow.
This clinic centre was already the administrative
centre for the personal health services under the
Middlesex County Council health department, and
for the public health services for the Borough of
Heston and Isleworth.
From the point of view of the people of Hounslow
it appeared rational to have one centrally placed
centre on which people could converge and obtain
advice on any personal health, social or other related
problem. It was decided, therefore, to invite the
Children's Officer to place her central department
with all its services for children on the same site as the
central health department. In the same way the Chief
Welfare Officer agreed to plan on this site his central
department with its services for the handicapped, the
elderly and the homeless.
It was also realised that the practical concept of
the family doctors as the co-ordinators of a team of
health visitors, home nurses, midwives and social
workers (with the expertise on casework encompassing
children, problem families, mental health, the
capped and elderly) could become a reality in such a
centre, and this was a spur to redouble our efforts to
make such a possibility into fact.
The Child Psychiatric Unit of the Child Guidance
Centre and a Mental Health Day Centre, both with
consultant psychiatric care, were also included in
order to make the proposed centre as comprehensive
as possible from the point of view of the general
public. Added to the central positioning and comprehensive
facilities enumerated above, is the fortunate
fact that the Hounslow Hospital directly abuts the
site. This was a chance indeed for the tripartite health
services of hospital, general practitioners and local
health authority to come together and to join with the
social services of the children's and welfare departments
of the borough for the benefit of the individuals
and families in the community. This community care
would also include psychiatric care for the child and
the adult, so encompassing all age groups. Thus the
preventive, social and curative aspects of medical care
would all come within the ambit of the centre.
I am indebted to Alderman E J Pauling, at the time
Chairman of the Steering Committee and Chairman
of the Borough, prior to becoming Mayor on 1st April
1965, to Alderman E J Kenward, Chairman of the
Health Committee, and to the members of the
committee for their support and encouragement, and
for making the all important resolution in the Steering
Committee on the 13th November 1964 to enable
forward planning to commence on this exciting
project.
As a result, in the early months of 1965, a group of
family doctors commenced meeting informally, and
elected Dr W Morgan-Evans, first as spokesman and
later as chairman of a committee of doctors. By
arrangement, Mr G Madden, Clerk of the Executive
Council, communicated with all the doctors who
practised within a mile radius of the centre. Thirteen
doctors stated they wished to practise full-time from
the centre, and a further six doctors to practise parttime.
After several meetings of this committee a
schedule of accommodation for the general practitioner
wing was drawn up and in the hands of the
architects before the end of the year.
If this proposed comprehensive health, welfare and
children's centre can be fully associated with the local
hospital medical centres, the local general hospitals
and a teaching hospital then ideal facilities would
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