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0.10 To our field staff we issue a circular of information once a month, and to a wide
range of doctors and medico-social agencies 1,000 copies, once a fortnight, of "The
Health of Camden" which keeps our colleagues in touch with developments in our service.
And last — and most difficult for me, at any rate — is contact with the field staff. Here I
am always particularly worried about our home helps and good neighbours, less trained
than most, working unsupported and in isolation, yet often in a key position to feed
important information back — say about an old person whose health is failing, defective
steps that might cause a home accident, etc. 1 try to remember always how important it is
to meet them, or to write a personal letter.
0.11 For the rest, I let the report speak for itself. I have mentioned in it certain key
people by name. I hope that no wrong conclusions will be drawn from any omission. We
are a team of some 800, and I only wish that I could mention them all by name and with
the pride which I have in them. But I must make three exceptions.
0.12 Miss F.G. Craddock was appointed our first Principal Nursing Officer in
April 1968. I must admit that I was first doubtful about the appointment of one senior
nursing officer who would be responsible to me for all nursing services — health and
geriatric visitors, home nurses and midwives. And I was also doubtful how her own
colleagues would react. The appointment has been an outstanding success. We have
acquired (by promotion from our own ranks) a colleague of infinite tact, shrewd judgment,
and with a delightful sense of humour.
0.13 Mr N.A.C. Bignell is our Chief Administrative Officer. We have worked together
on and off for twenty-one years. Our never codified rule is that I tell him what I want,
but never tell him how to do it. This rule has never failed, and the Department has
derived untold benefit from his imperturbable management of its affairs.
0.14 Miss Dorothy Fletcher, my personal assistant, held an appointment with a firm
of architects before she joined me. She always knows what I need before I ask for it,
recognises no closing hour, and has the patience of Job.
0.15 I thank Mr Brian Wilson, the Town Clerk, and my other fellow Chief Officers for
their forbearance and kindness, and this applies more particularly to my fellow chief
officers of the Housing, Welfare and Children's Departments. That the Camden Family
Service has worked as a team was due entirely to them.
0.16 Finally I must express my thanks to the members of the Council and the Health
Committee, and in particular to its Chairmen during the two years under review,
Mr A.W. Stallard and Miss Madeleine du Mont. To work for Camden and to have the confidence
of its elected members is deeply rewarding.
PLANNING
1.1.0 My Annual Report for 1965 included an outline of the programme for the development
of the health services for Camden over the ten-year period 1966 to 1976. Some
progress has been made in spite of the difficult financial situation of recent years and of
the fact that in most capital projects a considerable delay is inevitable between the
approval of an idea and the completion of a building. (It is perhaps not always fully
appreciated that the first real difficulty in a developed area like Camden is to find a
suitable and available site for any new building, or a suitable existing building which
can be adapted, and I would like to record my appreciation of the assistance which has
been given by the Planning Officer and the Town Clerk in finding such sites and buildings).
1.1.1 A detailed brief is first required setting out not only the number and size of
rooms required, but also the purpose for which the rooms are to be used, the
inter-relationship with other parts of the building, the services to be provided,
e.g. lighting, heating, ventilation, communications system etc., and the furniture or
special equipment needed. In many cases this involves consultations with outside bodies
such as the Inner London Executive Council^ with officers of the Department of Health
and Social Security, and of course with persons who will work in the building.
1.1.2 Next, sketch plans are prepared; following which — and subject to any
amendments — come detailed drawings and the preparation of all information necessary in
order that tenders may be invited.
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