View report page

(3) A member of the W.V.S., qualified in chiropody, occasionally
gives treatment voluntarily, to home-bound and aged persons.
The Home Help Service was operated to capacity throughout the year
and by giving this service and nursing attention through the District Nurses,
it was possible to keep many people in their own homes who would otherwise
have had to be admitted for institutional care.
With the ever-growing need for attention to old persons living in their
own homes, these services will continue to expand.
In his Circular 22/58, the Minister of Health asked for the Medical
Officer of Health to comment briefly on the working of the first ten years
of the National Health Service, and the functioning of the Local Health
Services generally during that period.
In any statement on this subject it must be emphasized at the outset
that the relations between the Local Health Authority, Surrey County
Council, and the Local Sanitary Authority, Beddington and Wallington
Corporation, have been most harmonious, and co-operation between the
various departments dealing with matters of health have been very close,
and consequently, successful.
All sections of the National Health Service Act of 1946 have been
implemented to the benefit of citizens generally, and in particular, the
specialist services dealing with mothers and young children, and with
school children, have been crowned with success.
In the Medical Officer of Health's Annual Reports for the period,
detailed summaries of the work of both the Local Health Authority, and
the Sanitary Authority, have been carefully reviewed, mostly in comprehensive
statistical summaries. Attention has been drawn to the various
ways in which the two Local Authorities have worked together for the
advancement of the health of the citizens, and nowhere has this been
more successful than in the joint consideration of problem families,
especially in the matter of housing. One can only hope that the cordial
relationship and effective liaison now established will be continued in
the future.
The Council may congratulate themselves that the year 1958 reached
a new peak in the records of the health of the people. The Borough was
free from epidemic disease in any form, and in all departments of health,
the population appears to have fared better than in any previous year.
Facilities for swimming in the bath at the Carew Manor School were
again provided, and although the season was at times inclement and had
an adverse effect upon attendances, considerable pleasure was derived from
this provision. The administrative arrangements continued to be, as
heretofore, in the hands of the Public Health Department, financial
arrangements being concluded with the Surrey County Council.
10