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Public Health Department.
Town Hall,
Wallington.
To The Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Beddington and Wallington.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present my annual report for 1946. This is the first
report I have presented following the cessation of hostilities.
The report is drawn up in accordance with the suggestions made
by the Minister of Health in his Circular 13/47. The vital statistics
are based on information supplied by the Registrar-General; this
was received in mid-June, 1947.
The Registrar-General's estimate of the population of the Borough
at the middle of the year is 31,460, but from information available
from local sources (e.g., the Food Control Office) the population at
the end of 1946 exceeded 33,000.
The birth rate per 1,000 total population has remained practically
stationary at 18.63 in 1946, as compared with 18.10 in 1945, and is
below that for England and Wales, which is 19.10. The stillbirth rate
of 0.29 per 1,000 total population is about the same as in 1945 and
compares favourably with that for England and Wales, which is 0.53.
The stillbirth rate per 1,000 total births is 15.13 compared with 11.79
in 1945.
The death rate from all causes per 1,000 total population is
10.39 compared with 11.00 for 1945 and 11.50 for England and Wales.
Of the 327 deaths, disease of the heart and circulatory system
accounted for 105 (32.1 per cent. of total deaths), cancer 60 (18.3 per
cent. of total deaths) and tuberculosis 8 (2.4 per cent. of total deaths).
The maternal mortality rate per 1,000 total births is 1.68 as
compared with 1.43 for England and Wales.
The table on page 13 showing comparative birth and death rates
for other areas shows that the Borough compares very favourably,
and the Corporation can regard this with some satisfaction.
Nineteen-forty-six will be a year memorable in the history of
Public Health for the passing of the National Health Service Act.
The principal effect upon this local authority when the Act comes
into operation (the anticipated day being 5th July, 1948) will be the
transfer of the following functions from the control of the Corporation
to the Surrey County Council:—ambulance service, health visiting,
infant welfare centres, ante-natal and post-natal clinics and all
other maternity and child welfare functions, and diphtheria
immunisation.
Discussions commenced during the year as to how the relevant
sections of the Act could best be applied to the Borough, and it is
anticipated that a final scheme will be brought forward by the Surrey
County Council before the end of 1947.
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