View report page

INTEGRATION AND CO-ORDINATION
A public health service is by its very description a service which cannot operate
effectively in isolation. Close co-operation with other services directly administered by or
associated with the Council is essential, and so is close linkage with the other branches of the
National Health Service. In the new set-up it was also particularly important to ensure the closest
possible integration of the Borough's health services with the education, health and social services
provided by the Inner London Education Authority.
THE CAMDEN FAMILY SERVICE
A unique feature of the new London Borough of Camden was the Council's early decision
to form a Family Services Committee with the function of co-ordinating the activities of the four
social services committees - Health, Housing, Welfare and Children's. This Committee met
under the Chairmanship of the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee. It consists of the
Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen and one other member of the four committees, of two co-opted members
representing the Inner London Education Authority and the Camden Council of Social Service
respectively - this latter organisation providing the co-ordinating machine for the voluntary
agencies in the Borough. The Family Services Committee has no executive powers, but is able
to make recommendations to the appropriate service committees. At officer level the heads of the
four social services departments meet regularly under my Chairmanship. During the early days of
the new Borough many of our discussions were inevitably concerned with a variety of practical
and domestic problems related to our new situation.
The value of having the headquarters of all the social services departments based in
one building cannot be over-estimated, but this in turn created inevitable problems of allocation
of office accommodation, parking space and other important, if minor, difficulties. Throughout
1965 the Chief Officers met at approximately fortnightly intervals and our discussions covered a
very wide range of topics, particular attention being paid to our reception arrangements for the
four departments and for effective co-ordination of services in respect of individual families.
A Co-ordinating Committee was also established under my Chairmanship and with the
Children's Officer as the Vice-Chairman. Although a number of meetings of the full Co-ordinating
Committee were held, it was reassuring to note the increase in the number of field level conferences.
The effectiveness of these meetings can to some extent be judged by the lessening demand for
full-scale co-ordinating committee meetings.
Bidborough House, the headquarters of the social services departments, provides the
first family advice centre in the Borough, and it is hoped to provide similar facilities throughout
the Borough as part of the development plan of the social service departments.
The need for co-ordinated planning for the future of the social services was also the
basis for a joint research scheme into the needs of Camden's population for health and social
services. This is being undertaken by Mrs. Margot Jefferys, Director of the Social Studies Unit,
Bedford College, University of London, under the joint sponsorship of that college, University
College Hospital Medical School and the London Borough of Camden.
4