London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Brentford and Chiswick 1964

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Brentford and Chiswick]

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voluntary bodies, and a central kitchen for delivery of meals to these premises
provided A good night sitter service should be started and a transport service
to convey the disabled elderly to clubs or clinics arranged The Welfare
Section needs to provide homes of a completely different character from those
at present in use in which elderly people who can no longer remain in their
own homes would have decent privacy recreation and occupation if they so de
sired, and a corner for their best loved possessions, Privacy and possessions,
they cherish these and should not be forcibly deprived of them The Welfare
Section and the Housing Department together should organise as soon as possible
the building of many blocks of single room flatlets with some community service
and warden, or the conversion of big houses into this same type of housing,
which is likely to save the need for many old people s homes and saves hospital
beds also.
The Public Health Department will also need its own Mass X-ray Unit and
its own Laboratory and its Chest Clinic should be expanded for the development
of other services of after care such as the follow up of diabetes, gastric
ulcer and other cases discharged from hospital
The new Borough has a wonderful opportunity now to create a Public Health
Department which will truly be aiding the people and maintaining Public Health
I had expected to be given the opportunity of guiding this new Department into
sound and progressive ways, but as this opportunity has not been granted to me,
I have given the best advice I can in this limited preamble and I wish the
Department success in prevention of disease and promotion of health in body
and mind for everybody
My last word is of gratitude to the officers of the Public Health Depart
ment, past and present, who have helped me in our work through the years men
tioning particularly the Chief Public Health Inspector Mr Robinson the Deputy
Chief Public Health Inspector Mr James and the Chief Clerk Mr Hill,
All our staff members have worked hard to preserve good conditions for
living in Brentford and Chiswick and have never failed to respond to a call for
extra effort when necessary it might be because of the risk of epidemic disease,,
or perhaps to enable such a Report as this to be finished to a deadline date,
and I thank them all very sincerely
I am Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant
Mayaud ch.ylass
Medical Officer of Health
-10-