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21
SECTION 21
HEALTH CENTRES
(by A. Shaw, M.B., B.S., D.P.H.
Deputy Medical Officer of Health)
Progress In
1967
Since the last Annual Report little progress has been made
in the Health Centres programme if this is considered from the
viewpoint of architects' plans and bricks and mortar. However,
a great deal of advance has been made in the field of exploring
general practitioners' attitudes, outline design of buildings,
attachment of local authority staff and moving towards an
overall plan for the Borough. In this sense the picture is
clearer.
High Road,
Woodford,
Health Centre
An outline brief for the High Road, Woodford, Health Centre
has been discussed with Ministry of Health officers and agreement
reached on the necessity for a 3-Surgery Centre. Two
single-handed doctors wish to use the centre full-time and a
practice of three doctors wish to close down their present
branch surgery and use the Health Centre for part of their work.
The centre will have the usual local authority services,
including maternal and child welfare, school health, ante-natal,
chiropody, cervical cytology and dentistry. There will also be
specialist clinics for orthopaedics and ophthalmology.
The centre is included in the Council's capital programme
for 1969/70.
King George
Hospital
Health Centre
Undoubtedly the most exciting project of the year is the
Health Centre planned in the grounds of King George Hospital.
A group of three doctors in Newbury Park have for a long time
been expressing a strong wish for a Health Centre in the area.
The present Council clinic in that area is in a hired hall and
the need for local authority premises is equally pressing.
It was thought at first that the Regional Hospital Board
might permit building on the site of the War Memorial Grounds,
which land the Council is in the prolonged process of
exchanging for hospital land in Barley Lane. This was not to
be, as the Regional Hospital Board intends to build a new
out-patients' department on the site and this project is so far
in the future that it is not feasible to wait to Incorporate a
Health Centre in the building, which would be a good position
for it. After consultation the Regional Board agreed to allocate
a plot of land in the North East corner of the hospital grounds
for the Health Centre, which is included in the capital programme
for 1969/70.