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29
Borough Architect has confirmed that a suitable and adequate extension
could be made to the present Manford V/ay Clinic.
It is intended to provide a Health Centre within the redevelopment
area and a site had been provisionally allocated south of the High Road
in the present High Road area. Meetings held during the year with general
practitioners and the Local Executive Council showed that this was a
viable proposition, except that the Executive Council would now prefer
to see the project commenced within the next five years and not, as previously
stated, that "it will be at least five years before the building is
required, or the site available". Every endeavour is being made to obtain
a site within the redevelopment area or just beyond (to the south), which
may be used for building a Health Centre within this five-year period.
It is also proposed that all local authority health services will
operate from the Health Centre.
Finance for these various projects will continue to remain uncertain
for many years because of the country's present economic troubles. Every
effort is being made to expedite the various schemes and stick to
schedules, but a certain amount of inspired guesswork will still be
required to place any project in the correct year of the Council's capital
programme. Financial stringency might delay the project envisaged. It is
likely that as such Health Centre programme gets underway, more and
more practitioners will like to practise from Health Centres. It might not
be possible for many years to provide premises for all who are in favour
of Health Centres, although this undoubtedly could have an effect on
contributing to the effective medical care of the community.
Land for Health Centres is a problem which still persists. The price
of established land rises annually. It will be the scarcity of geographically
suitable sites more than any other factor which will prevent the
realisation of full Health Centre practice for the future. With the likely
implementation of the Todd Report, the Seebohm and other allied Reports
in respect of the health services, greater responsibility will be put in
the hands of the local authorities, which we will have to be prepared to
share and enjoy in conjunction with the community, general practitioners,
and local authority staff.
Ilford
Town Redevelopment
Area
Financing
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