[Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Bedford Borough.

  • Bedford Borough Council
Date:
1964
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Bedford Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    determine whether the suspects are diabetic, I wish to place on recor my thanks for the work done by Dr. Muir’s Department ADMINISTRATION OF THE flEALTH SERVICH It is of interest that much current dicusssion is now runningj over ground so much discussed before the advent of the National Healthy Service; namely, the need for general practitioners to work in satis-j factory premises with adequate help from nursing, clerical and technical staff; i.e. health centres. The tragedy is that in the years since theJ implementation of the Health Service so little has been done in ther] research field to demonstrate what forms of organisation are required.;, STAFF i With our considerable problems with immigrants and houses in' multiple occupation the importance of maintaining an adequately staffed:' Public Health Inspectors’ Section has been recognised by the Cbmmitteee) and adequate steps taken to maintain our staff despite a national i: shortage. In this field of course the Borough has freedom of action. However, with regard to nursing staff, we have no such freedom and. the shortages which have always been with us were intensified during, the year, the number of full-time Health Visitors at one time being, reduced to three (establishment fourteen). A complete breakdown of ■ the child welfare services being prevented by the extensive use of' state registered nurses undertaking clinic duties. The difficulties of' maintaining morale in the health visiting service in the face of such shortages are very great. The educational requirements for health visitor students (five subjects ‘O’ level) can be compared with other jobs, with the conclusion that this branch of nursing service is grossly underpaid, hence the national shortage. Plans based on greatly increased numbers of these nurses are founded on an ill-conceived. optimism. I wish to thank the Chairman and Members of the Public Health i Committee for their interest and encouragement and all staff in the • Department for their services in the year. ^ I I also wish to thank Mr. F. J. Dix for his work in compiling most of this report. I am. Your obedient servant, C. L. SHARP. Medical Officer of Health.