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23
time and an indication of the date of likely loan sanction may
be available relatively early. A certain amount of inspired
guesswork will still be required to place any project in the
correct year of the Council's capital programme.
Attitudes of
General
Practitioners
The attitude of general practitioners in Redbridge to
health centres practice was explored during the year. All
doctors practising in the borough were sent a questionnaire
and over half of those replying were In favour of health centres
and would be willing to practise from one. It is likely that as
the health centre programme gets under way that the proportion
of those in favour will rise. In any event it appears to be an
impossibility for very many years to provide premises for all
who are in favour of health centres, although thia undoubtedly
would have an effect on contributing to effective medical care
of the community.
Sites
Land for health centres in these early stages is a problem
which will continue to grow. The price of urban land riaea
annually and it ia eaay to aee that in not very many yeara to
put a health centre only on a plot of land will be uneconomic.
Thia might lead to auch buildings being incorporated in blocka
of flata and office buildings and the chances are that they will
work very well once it la accepted that conaulting rooms need
not be on the ground floor and may equally effectively be on
the tenth or even the twentieth floor provided an efficient lift
service la provided. It in possible that such a health centre
may be neceaaary in the central re-development area. It will
be the scarcity of geographically sultable siteas ore than any
other factor which will prevent the reallaatlon of full health
centre practice.
SECTION 22
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(by Dr. W. H. Toma, B.M., Ch.B.(Edin),
Principal Medical Officer)
November 1967 aaw the publication of the Sheldon Committee
Report on the medical functiona and atafflng of child
welfare centrea, where infant welfare clinica, toddlera clinica
and child health clinica would be carried on.
The Sheldon Committee enviaaged a child health aervlce as
part of an integrated family health aervlce, provided by general
practitionera working from purpoae-bullt health centrea. Aa, of