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The Borough Council further invited membership of the Health and
Welfare Committees from voluntary organisations, the Regional Hospital Board,
the Hospital Management Committee, the Local Medical Committee, the Royal
College of Nursing and the Central Midwives Board0 There has, therefore, been
a very significant move not only towards papering the cracks within the
local authority administration but also towards the establishment of closer
local liaison with allied services outside. The full significance of these
links in regard to planning and day to day work has not yet begun to be
appreciated but the co-operative atmosphere and the will to co-ordinate
every day activity is already apparent and augurs well for the future.
Within the Authority's own services a process of integration of closely
allied services provided by different departments has made an encouraging
start. Outside agencies do not appreciate the divisions of responsibility
inherent in Local Authority administrative structure and it has already
become apparent that much closer departmental relationships are possible at
local level within the smaller all-purpose authority than could previously
be achieved. The full potential of closer integration has not yet been
achieved but it is essential that it should be accomplished if the proposed
expansion of social services is to be made possible.
The continuing shortage of professionally trained staff means that
their skills must be deployed effectively within their own professional
spheres and used to maximum advantage. This may involve some re-orientation
of duties including the use of less highly trained staff working under
supervision in less complicated situations. Within the Health and Welfare
Department much thought is being given to the modernisation of services
to bring them more into line with present day needs and conditions including
those created by the newly developing closer relationships mentioned above.
In each part of the report will be found comment upon the
individual sections of the department's work. The statistical information
in some cases refers to a full year and in some to the period from the
1st April until the end of the year, a situation which is regrettable
but inevitable under the circumstances following re-organisation.
The general health of the Borough is of a high standard and no
major epidemics of infectious disease occurred during the year. The level of
immunisation of infants against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping
cough and smallpox and of adults against poliomyelitis has fallen slightly during
the year in common with the national trend„ It is a sad reflection of the
complacency with which these lethal diseases have come to be regarded that
epidemics and fatalities seem to be necessary to stimulate and maintain
acceptance of these simple immunising procedures by many people. With the
ever-increasing numbers of persons travelling abroad and the speed of modern
transportation between countries, it is more than ever necessary to maintain
a high level of immunity. Every member of the community has a responsibility
to himself, his family and to the community as a whole to obtain the protection
which is so easily available.
Care of the Elderly
It will have been noted from the analysis of population by age groups
on page 9 that 21,090 residents were over the age of sixty-five at the time
of the 1961 census. Whilst the majority of pensioners are well able to care
for themselves or are cared for by their families, a significant number are
frail or living alone and in need of the support of community services. The
primary objective of this support is to maintain physical and mental health and
well being for as long as possible so that the elderly can maintain themselves
in their own homes despite their advancing years and diminishing ability.
This can only be achieved by the provision of adequate advice from doctors and
health visitors to promote their health and detect treatable disability at an
early stage before the development of permanent handicap; by skilled nursing
and rehabilitation from illness5 by social support in the form of suitable housing
and the prevention of loneliness, isolation and poverty and by practical support
in the home such as the provision of meals and domestic help.
4