View report page

The Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Members of the Council,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the Health Department for the
year 1971 incorporating the Statutory Report of the Medical Officer of Health and the
Principal School Medical Officer.
The Health and Family Services Department officially ceased as a combined department
on 1 st April 1971 and was replaced by separate Health, Social Services and Housing
Departments.
Vital Statistics
The birth rate in 1971 was very similar to that of 1970. There was a significant decrease
in the death rate partly due to the absence of an epidemic of influenza. It will be noted that
there were only two deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis, the lowest figure ever recorded in the
Borough. The number of deaths from cancer of the lung fell from 132 in 1970 to 102 in 1971.
Deaths from cancer of the lung have varied during the past five years and at this stage it is not
possible to forecast a downward trend. I await information as to the number of deaths for 1972
with considerable interest.
There is an increasing percentage of the population in the borough over the age of 65
years and compared with other London Boroughs,Sutton has the third highest percentage of
population over the age of 65 years associated with a diminishing percentage of population
between the ages of 15 and 64 years. The Council must endeavour to increase the percentage of
the working age group by encouraging more employment in the borough, e.g. offices and
factories, and at the same time by providing additional houses for letting.
Infectious Disease
It will be noted that the total number of notifiable infectious diseases in 1971 was
considerably less than that for 1970 largely due to a marked reduction in the number of cases
of measles mainly as a result of vaccination against this disease. There is no doubt that measles
could be eradicated if all parents of children accepted the advice that measles vaccination is just
as important as immunisation against diphtheria and poliomyelitis.
Community Nursing Services
The Clinical Centre at Cheam Nurses' Home was completed early in 1971 and during
the year the Home Nursing and Midwifery Services were centralised at Cheam Nurses' Home.
The majority of health visitors and home nurses were on attachment to general medical
practitioners by the end of the year.
It will be noted that there was a tremendous increase in the number of visits made by home
nurses (from 128253 in 1970 to 151992 in 1971). An increasing number of cases are being
nursed at home instead of in hospital and this together with an increasing number of earlier
discharges from hospital is making hospital beds more readily available for people on the waiting
list for admission. The trend for home nursing instead of admission to hospital will continue
provided there is an adequate Home Nursing Service. It is in the national interest to encourage
this trend since the cost of nursing cases at home is considerably less than in hospital. Over the
years it may be possible to gradually reduce the number of hospital beds.
Environmental Health
Mr. H. Geo. Cripps, Chief Public Health Inspector, was unfortunately on sick leave during
the second half of the year and retired early in 1972. I would like to express my appreciation
of the help given to me by Mr. Cripps; his long career was almost entirely with the London
Borough of Sutton and its predecessors. As a result he had a considerable knowledge of the
borough and his knowledge of the continuous flow of Government circulars on all branches of
4