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8
A staff of approximately 30 health visitors was taken over from the London
County Council: these officers, combining both health and social duties, are
one of the mainsprings of the Department's service given to the family with
the young child, although their work is increasing in extent in all aspects of
family life. Their work is, of course, complementary to other field workers
such as the public health inspector, mental health social worker, and workers
in other Departments such as the child care officer, and welfare officers who
work with the aged; these officers forming the basis of the ideal team of
fieldworkers for the local authority.
The mental health services of the Borough are amongst the best in London.
The London County Council Health Division No. 4 had established centres for
mentally subnormal children and also centres for the rehabilitation of patients
who suffered from mental illness. These the Department inherited, and is in
process of reorganising to give an even better service than previously. In
addition to services based on static centres, the Department has a staff of mental
health social workers who undertake not only statutory duties, but act in support
of mentally ill patients by seeing them in their homes and by co-operation with
the hospitals during their treatment; and by helping to re-establish in the
community by means of clubs, arranging holidays, etc. Unfortunately for
Hackney the main psychiatric hospital for Hackney patients is one situated at
Epsom. I do not think anyone would pretend that it is ideal for patients to
have to go such a long way away for treatment: it makes it difficult for the
patient, for the relative, and also for mental health staff who wish to retain
contact. It is to be hoped that in the not too distant future there will be
increasing facilities for the treatment of mental illness either in Hackney or
at least not so far away.
Undoubtedly, one of the main problems still affecting Hackney is that of
housing. It would seem axiomatic that a place where some people spend twothirds
of their time and where young mothers and children might spend the whole
of their time, is bound to have a profound effect on their health. I have
always considered it one feature, if not the main one, in the prevention of
ill-health that persons should live in a good environment. This not only
includes clean water, clean air, etc., but must include good housing apart from
the usual terms of bricks and mortar, freedom from damp, etc.; housing that
contains all the reasonable elements of modern living, such as running hot and
cold water, good sanitation, plenty of light and air. The ideal goes even
further than this; there must be good community services and all the accepted
amenities within easy distance. Unfortunately, all too often, many Hackney
residents are without even the minimum of the accepted standards. They live in
houses that are damp, dark, with no hot water, no baths, and often with external
water closets. Many live in houses in multiple occupation, sharing what
amenities there are in the way of water closets and kitchens. In addition to
this, many have to fight what might be termed, at the best, the apathy of certain
landlords, in an attempt to get even gross defects such as leaking roofs remedied,
and to achieve even a minimum standard. The number of cases where the Department
was called in during the year is shown in the main body of the Report. In an
attempt to improve amenities in houses in multiple occupation the Department
has acted under Section 19 of the Housing Act, 1961, in 151 cases during the
year. In addition, in order to try to improve conditions in certain houses,
the Department has taken steps to bring six houses under Management Orders
during the year.
The metropolitan boroughs had been in favour of the fluoridation of water,
and the Council of the new London Borough is also strongly in favour of this.
There is, however, an opposition, and letters from the opposition have appeared
in the press, and meetings have been held to protest against the fluoridation
of Hackney's water supplies. As, of course, the Authority is not responsible
for the provision of water supplies, no action has been taken to add fluoride
to the local water. The local water does, in fact, possess a certain amount
of natural fluoride (0.25 p.p.m.)