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These minders are visited and reported on regularly by medical officers
and health visitors, in order that the standards of care shall be maintained
at a satisfactory level.
Reports are sometimes received from health visitors or members of the
public about persons said to be minding children without being registered.
In every case, a visit is made to the address given and an investigation made.
Voluntary minding
We still carry on the former London County Council system of a voluntary
child minder registration scheme whereby child minders are paid 6/- a week if
they will register voluntarily with the Authority even though there is no
statutory requirements for them to do so.
NURSING HOMES
Under Part VI of the Public Health Act, 1936, and the Nursing Homes Act,
1963, the Council has a duty to register and inspect all nursing homes in the
Borough. This includes nursing homes in the accepted sense, and mother and
baby homes, but not homes used solely for the purpose of accommodating elderly
persons. There were four nursing homes registered with the Department at the
end of 1965, as follows:-
St. Margaret's Nursing Home,
262 Victoria Park Road,
London, E.9.
Keeper: Mrs. E. W. Eldridge, S. R.N. , S. C.M.
St. Mary's Home for Mothers and Babies,
153 Stamford Hill, N.16.
Under the Management of The Community of
St. Mary the Virgin, Wantage, Berks.
"Crossways" Mother and Baby Home,
9 Amhurst Park, N. 16.
Under the Management of the Salvation Army.
St. Joseph's Hospice,
Mare Street, E.8.
Run by The Irish Sisters of Charity.
As a corollary to registration the Department has a duty to inspect
regularly, and to make any suggestions in respect of the care given (not medical
care), and to see that the home discharges its functions in a proper manner.
MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF STAFF
During the year the Department's own staff commenced to undertake medical
examinations to determine medical fitness for employment. The number of new
entrants examined totalled 59 and 29 staff were examined in connection with
sick pay schemes and superannuation.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
The Department is often asked to take part in regional or national research
projects. Amongst these during 1965 was the survey of childhood malignancies.
In the Autumn of 1964, trials were carried out in selected areas (of which the
L.C.C. Health Division No. 4 was one) of a measles vaccine; the trials were
still going on and information collected when an interim report was published
during 1965.
A further project in which the Department took part was the National Child
Development Survey. The purpose of this survey was to determine the present