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5
LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT
Brent House,
High Road,
Wembley.
August, 1972.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report on the health of the Borough for the year 1971.
I do this on behalf of my predecessor Dr. Ernest Grundy who retired on the 19th April, 1972 at the time
the Report was first being compiled and I would therefore like to take this opportunity of outlining his career.
Dr. Ernest Grundy first qualified M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. in May, 1929, proceeded to M.B., B.S., in
January 1930, took his D.P.H. in October 1931 and obtained M.D. (Hygiene) in 1933, and entered the public
health field with the London County Council as an Assistant Medical Officer in May 1930. In 1935 he joined
the Willesden Borough Council as an Assistant Medical Officer and was promoted to Senior Medical Officer
in 1936. In 1938 he was appointed Medical Officer of Health of the Borough of Southall, where he remained
until he joined the R.A.M.C., in 1943. He was demobbed in 1946 and returned to Southall as Medical Officer
of Health. In March 1948 he was appointed Medical Officer of Health with the Wembley Borough Council
and later in the year became also the joint Area No. 6 Medical Officer of Health with the Middlesex County
Council. From 1963 to 1965 he was Medical Officer of Health with both the Wembley and Willesden Borough
Councils and the Area No. 6 Medical Officer of Health with the Middlesex County Council. In April 1965
he became Medical Officer of Health of the London Borough of Brent and in 1971 was made Director of
Health.
He was a member of the Hospital Management Committee of the Central Middlesex Hospital Group
of Hospitals from 1950 until 1953, and from 1951 has been a member of the Board of Governors at the
Charing Cross Hospital. From April 1952 until 1967 he was a member of the Kingsbury Maternity House
Committee and from 1967 Chairman of this Committee. From 1951 until 1965 he was a part-time lecturer
for the Diploma in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Dr. Grundy served the London Borough of Brent in a loyal and efficient manner and at all times
discharged his duties with characteristic courtesy and consideration. He was instrumental in setting up the
first Cervical Cytology Clinic in Middlesex early in 1965 prior to the introduction of the national scheme.
Later he became very interested in the promotion of Health Centres and the success of the one at Chalkhill
is a tribute to his careful planning and thoughtfulness.
1971 saw the transfer of the Welfare and Mental Health functions to the newly created Social
Services Department and this took place on the 1st April, though for the time being it was agreed to leave
the supervision of child minders and pre-school play groups to the care of the Health Visitors. On the
appointed dav the whole operation went smoothly and very few administrative problems were encountered.
The Health Department undertook to give medical advice to the new Department, when and where necessary,
and in particular to continue to visit all the Residential and Day establishments of the Social Services Department
to advise on hygienic and general medical matters.
In May the Government issued a Consultative Document on the Re-organisation of the National
Health Service which amended the proposals of the two previous Green Papers and outlined a revised
administrative structure.
On 18th October, Craven Park Health Centre received its first patient and was officially opened by
Mr. Laurie Pavitt. Member of Parliament for Willesden West on the 30th October in the presence of his
Worship the Mayor, Alderman H. V. Drury. This Health Centre, being the second in the Borough, provides
for nine general medical practitioners and two general dental practitioners as well as for the Council's
personal and school health and dental services which were transferred from the old Stonebridge Clinic.
Expansion of the Birth Control Service directly provided by the Council continued during the year
by the addition of six further weeklv sessions, one each at Neasden and Monks Park Health Clinics and at
Chalkhill and Craven Park Health Centres and two at the Central Middlesex Hospital. Bv the end of the
year the total number of weekly sessions held in the Borough was 20, 15 organised by the Health Department
and five by the Family Planning Association using clinic premises.
Integration of the Midwifery Service in the area was further increased by the introduction of the
Domino Scheme in September and bv the opening of the General Practitioner Unit at Central Middlesex
Hospital in October. The Domino Scheme allows the Council's Domiciliary Midwives to deliver selected
patients in the Obstetric Department at Central Middlesex Hospital, to nurse them there for approximately
48 hours and on their discharge to continue the nursing in the home.
It is mv privilege to express gratitude to all the members of staff within the Department who so
conscientiously helped Dr. Grundy during this year, and to give thanks to the Mayor, the Chairman of the
Committee and to all Members of the Council for their continued support, guidance and advice during the
year.
I am, Mr. Mavor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
CATHARINE HOLLMAN,
Director of Health.