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LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT
Brent House,
High Road,
Wembley.
June, 1967.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The first full year of the operation of the services of a Health, Welfare, and Sanitary Authority within
the boundaries of the Borough of Brent, is represented in the contents of this Annual Report. During the
year consolidation of the work has represented a major feature. Following the greatest reorganisation this
century, of the services involved, a provisional pattern was laid down in 1965 which in the current year
appears to have crystallised into an efficient and enthusiastic service. The move of the whole of the
Department into central office premises has been vindicated by the way in which co-operation and liaison
of the various Divisions has been made possible and successful. The Health and Welfare services have been
brought nearer to the residents of the Borough, and whilst it would be idle to pretend there have been no
complaints, most of these have been resolved satisfactorily and it is highly probable that had the services
remained remote as they were prior to the London Government Act, these complaints would not even have
been voiced.
Continuous expansion of the work of the Department has occurred during the year, particularly
with emphasis on the development of Health Centres. The climate of opinion seems to be tending towards
the recognition that the future of medical practise lies in the grouping of family doctors together, and in
accepting the concept of a unified service which can best be obtained by all facilities being made available
in the one building, which concept is achieved by the idea of a Health Centre.
The traditional responsibility of the Department for care and guidance of mothers, continued during
the year with several important additional services. The Report shows that cervical cytology, which was
started in this area amongst the first of any of the London Boroughs, continued to expand by two new
sessions. The practice of giving grants to voluntary associations concerned with Child Health and Maternal
Care continued, and an additional grant was made during the year, for the first time, to the Family Planning
Association. The decline in domiciliary bookings for midwifery was caused by the hospitals accepting for
confinement within their walls many more mothers, with discharge 48 hours after admission. This, whilst
in itself may be desirable as a temporary expedient and is so regarded, nevertheless does affect adversely the
training of District Midwives, which ultimately cannot be favourable to the midwifery profession generally.
In the sphere of Mental Health considerable extensions are detailed in the Report and it is pleasing
to record that the community reaction to mental illness and subnormality is becoming more humane and
tolerant, enabling staff of the Department to offer to those mentally afflicted, care and guidance in the community
which otherwise would necessitate hospital admission.
The cold arithmetic of this Report and the formal statistics must not beguile the reader into accepting
that the whole of the work is carried on unemotionally and without feeling. The staff generally are dedicated,
humane, and conscious of the need for preserving close personal warmth, whilst at the same time preserving
a professional attitude which in the ultimate will allow the greatest service to be offered.
The opportunity is offered to me in this Annual Report, to offer my thanks for the assistance which
I have received and the Department has received, during the year. Chief Officers of other Departments and
the whole of the staffs of the other Departments of the Council have been most generous in the help which
they have given whenever the occasion has demanded. Without this help it would have been difficult, if not
impossible, to achieve the service which has been given to the ratepayers.
May I also express my sincere appreciation and profound admiration for the way in which members
of the staff of the Health and Welfare Department have responded to every challenge put upon them
during the year, and the admirable way in which problems have been met and solved.
Finally, to the Mayor, the Chairman of the Health Committee, and the Chairman of the Welfare
Services Committee, and Members of the Council in general, it is appropriate that I should express my
sincere gratitude for the advice that they have given and the competent and efficient way in which they have
directed the activities of the Department.
I am, Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
E. GRUNDY,
Medical Officer of Health.