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6
HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
MUNICIPAL OFFICES,
380 OLD STREET, E.C.1.
Telephone: 01-986 3123
To His Worship The Mayor, and to the Aldermen
and Councillors of the London Borough of Hackney
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my Annual Report for 1969 on the
health of the borough.
The staffing position in certain sections of the Department continue to
show some improvement. This was particularly so in the case of student health
visitors, and when the present students have qualified the establishment
should be nearer to the numbers required for a borough of this size. Having
regard though to the particular problems of Hackney there will still be need
for further recruitment of health visitors. Unfortunately, the number of
district nurses has given cause for some concern; having started pilot schemes
for attachment of district nurses the expansion of this service has been held
up because of the shortage. The position is even worse in respect of staff
at the day nurseries. Several of the nurseries are grossly under-staffed.
I can only reiterate what I said in the 1968 Report, that until better
remuneration is received for this type of work then the vital service that
day nurseries give to unsupported parents and others who need it will be
severely prejudiced.
There were several changes in the Senior staff of the department during
the year. All three Principal Medical Officers left. Dr. Whitfield retired,
Dr. Evans left to take up an appointment with the Department of Health and
Social Security, and Dr. Molloy took up a position with the Borough of
Brighton. The Principal Mental Health Social Worker, Mr. Dawson, also left to
go to Brighton, and Mr. J. Hall, the Principal Health Social Worker, took the
senior position with the Inner London Education Authority. The positions were
all filled during the course of the year.
The birth rate continues to decline. Although Hackney's birth rate is
still somewhat above the national average, the rate of decline has, in fact,
been higher than the national rate of decline. The percentage of illegitimate
births in the borough continues to be well above that for Greater London, and
England and Wales in general. The infant mortality rate showed a slight
reduction over the previous year but is, unfortunately, still above the figure
for 1967. The decline in the birth rate is reflected in the statistics for a
number of the services run by the department and these are pointed out in the
body of the Report. Negotiations are still taking place to unite the two
domiciliary services in the borough, that is the direct service of the borough
midwives and the services of the midwives operating from the Mothers' Hospital.
At the end of the year negotiations were nearing a conclusion and the operative
date for the merger of the two services is the 1st April, 1970.
The family planning services continued to expand but at a slower rate
than previously; however, the combined total of attendances at the Council and
Family Planning Association clinics showed an increase of only 517 over the
previous year. The domiciliary family planning service continued to provide
invaluable help for those cases in special social need, and the Advice Clinic
for young people also continues to serve a most useful purpose. During the
year 156 new patients were seen, the average attendance per session is 15 of
whom four are usually new patients. The year has also shown a change in the
age groups attending, there now being almost an equal number of under 20 years
old to over 20 years old. In present circumstances it is essential that young
people should have full knowledge of birth control, with this knowledge many