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7
Preface
HEALTH & WELFARE DEPARTMENT,
Telephone: 17/23 Clements Road,
01-478 3020 ILFORD.
May, 1967.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
1 submit herewith the second Annual Report of the Health and Welfare
Services of the London Borough of Redbridge. Under the able editorship of
Dr. Shaw, my deputy, there has been some pruning of the previous content to avoid
unnecessary repetition, but I believe all essential matter is still included.
The past year has been one of consolidation and progress. Staffing
deficiencies have been much alleviated, particularly on the administrative side.
Establishment difficulties still exist however with departmental medical officers,
mental health social workers and some medical auxiliaries. Home helps of
suitable calibre are, in this area, in short supply, and until adequate numbers
are available we cannot wholly fulfil our responsibilities in that section. In
Welfare, we have almost a complete establishment, but are finding that we set
our sights too low; very adequate by former Essex standards, but not comparable
with much of London, and more importantly, insufficient to deal with
recently disclosed needs. I would like to enter a caveat here however, in that
in Welfare, as in Health, it will probably never be possible to provide all the
staff and services that some would wish.
Co-ordination of the Social Services
It is possible that when the Seebohm Committee reports, and Government
acts upon their recommendations, that thefe may be many structural changes in
the shape of these local government services. Without entering the present
fray I feel it is necessary, even if only for eventual historical reasons, to
record the progress made to date and envisaged for the near future, in the
co-ordination of the social services in Redbridge.
Health and welfare
Firstly within any combined Health and Welfare Department far too much
emphasis is made of the Welfare Services being under the Medical Officer of
Health, rather than with the Medical Officer of Health. In Redbridge the Chief
Welfare Officer (as for the Chief Public Health Inspector) has almost complete
professional freedom; the Medical Officer of Health should be consulted on
broad aspects of planning and must insist on adequate liaison between the
different sections; which he has the power to do. There are regular weekly
meetings with the five heads of sections to facilitate this, and to discuss matters