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9
coaches has proved an inestimable asset to the service allowing a much better
service to be given to the patients-shorter journeys for the patients to
undergo and has saved the Department much work that they previously had to
undertake in arranging for the necessary journeys.
During the year the Borough took part in a Mental Health Fortnight with
the idea of publicizing the various services available for the mentally ill.
Although a great deal of effort was put into this, the results were extremely
disappointing, support for the various exhibitions and lectures being almost
completely lacking. If, as we are told, there is a high degree of mental
ill-health in this part of the world, and as the Borough has mental health
services of which it can be justifiably proud, this lack of response by the
public in general is particularly frustrating.
During 1967 the Social Services Co-ordinating Committee set up a small
working party to review the problems existing on the Kingsmead Estate. This
working party reported during 1968, and the substance of the report was conveyed
to the Health Committee and subsequently to the Council during the year.
The report coincided with a great deal of public pressure from the tenants of
the Kingsmead Estate for certain improved facilities. During the year much
consideration was given by both the Health Committee and the Council to the
investigation of the complaints of the tenants and to the suggestions made for
alleviating some of the problems that were made in the working party report;
the subject was still one of much discussion at the end of 1968.
The Report again embodies a section on the work of the School Health
Service and includes the School Dental Service. I give in the main body of
the report details of the service but I feel that I should comment here on
two points brought out, that is the increased emphasis now being placed in
school health examinations on psychological developments and the emotional and
behavioural difficulties experienced by school children. I would also like
to point out that a student health service, which is in effect an extension
of the school health service, has now been operating for a full year at the
London College of Furniture, Shoreditch.
The School Dental Service has continued to expand both in its scope and
its services that are made available to the school population. As well as
providing a dental service to school children, this service is made available
to expectant mothers, children under five, and now to the children and adults
attending the mental health training centres within the Borough. In general,
although much work is done to preserve the teeth of children, much still
remains to be done before perfect dental health is attained. In an effort to
help to achieve this, a very successful "Healthy Teeth for Hackney" campaign
was pursued during the year: this involved exhibitions, lectures, mobile
exhibitions, posters and competitions, and did much to stimulate interest in
dental health. The year, however, saw very little progress one way or another
in the much more controversial issue of the use of fluoride in the prevention
of dental caries. It will be seen on the report on the Borough's water supply,
furnished by the Metropolitan Water Board, that no artificial fluoride is
added to the water but that naturally occurring fluoride is present to the
extent of 0.30 milligrams per litre.
The year has seen no great change from previous years in respect of
infectious disease and there were no major epidemics. Infective hepatitis
became notifiable in June and 68 cases were notified. The number of
notifications of tuberculosis showed a slight decline. There was an increase
in the number of Hackney residents attending the various special clinics for
venereal disease in London and there is a significant increase in new cases
of both gonorrhoea and syphilis.
Hackney's main problem on the environmental side continues to be that
of Housing. As has been commented on in previous reports, although the
Department does all it can by implementing legislation to try to ameliorate
the worst conditions, many families continue to live in overcrowded conditions
without the amenities that should be expected in the present age. The other
work of the Public Health Inspectorate is detailed in the body of the Report.