London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Merton 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton]
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to need the kind of care provided there. Whilst, in principle, this kind
of care would be available in a Day Hospital, there are no Day Hospitals
for the severely subnormal nearer than day facilities provided
by the Manor Hospital at Epsom, with attendant difficulties associated
with transporting severely handicapped persons over ten miles in
each direction.
Junior Training Centre
The number of children on the register of the Junior Training
Centre at the end of the year was 56 and of these two are from
the neighbouring Borough of Sutton. It is now possible to provide
more adequate facilities for a group of children under five years of
age and this has proved of real benefit both to the children who get
the early atmosphere of a setting like a Day Nursery, and to their
parents since they feel that they have started to discharge their responsibilities
for the education and training of their handicapped
children in conjunction with the talented and devoted staff of the
Junior Training Centre.
The table below gives details of the attendances at the Junior Training Centre during the year:—
| Merton | Sutton | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of children attending on 1.1.6 | 47 | 5 | 52 |
| No. of children attending on 31.12.69 | 56 | 2 | 58 |
| No. of attendances made during year | 8,582 | 760 | 9,342 |
Senior Training Centre
The Senior Training Centre at the Manor Hospital continues
to be the primary facility for the training of subnormal persons over
the age of 16 years. The actual number in attendance varies from
time to time but at the date of the presentation of this report the
number on the register was 39. This number, however, is somewhat
lower than what would have been expected because, thanks to the cooperation
of our colleagues in the Education Department, certain
young people who have left the school for the educationally subnormal
have been able to remain on at school in order that they may be considered
for placement at the new Senior Training Centre in Wandle
Way, Mitcham, which was completed by November, although admission
of trainees was planned for January, 1970. Also a small
group of senior trainees at the Junior Training Centre have remained
there, to facilitate admission to the new Senior Training Centre along
with others to be transferred from the Manor Hospital Centre.
Mr. J. Malinowski was appointed as the Manager of the new
Centre in Wandle Way in June, in order to be associated with the
equipping and staffing of the new Senior Training Centre.
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