[Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Denbighshire County Council.

  • Denbighshire (Wales). County Council. no2004062613.
Date:
1951
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Denbighshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    66/106 (page 66)
    PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE. In my previous Annual Report^ I expressed the opinion that this Section of the National Health Service Act afforded, to the Health Authority, the widest scope for future de- velopment as it seemed to be the password to new domains. Regretfully, it has to be admitted that, while the staff of the Department were so heavily committed to other established services, only limited progress could be achieved in this direction. Prevention of illness largely resolved itself initially to health propaganda, and throughout the year the Health De- partment has concentrated on engendering an attitude of Positive Health. The Central Council for Health Education rendered valuable assistance, particularly in prov.Ming suit- able display material and information. Lectures and demon- strations by Medical Officers and Health Visitors have been the principal activities in this field. The Health Department has always had a proprietory interest in infectious diseases, and the remarkable decrease in the incidence, morbidity and mortality of these diseases during the past half century reflect the efficacy of prevent- ive measures instituted by Health Authorities. Since 1948. the prevention of all illness, not only infectious diseases, has been the duty of the Health Authority, and this new situa- tion requires a re-orientation and re-deployment of forces. By legislation, this has partly occurred in the Tuberculosis Services; responsibility for the specialists and hospitals having been transferred to the Regional Hospital Board, while the Health Authority retained the duty of preventing infection in the community. Tuberculosis. In March, 1951, Dr. Howell Williams resigned from the ]iost of Consultant Chest Physician to the Wrexham, Powys and Mawddach Hospital Management Committee, and Dr. E. Clifford Jomes, his successor, commenced duties in May, 1951. 'I'he Wrexham Chest Clinic is situated within the same curtil- age as the Health Department, so that inter-communication between the two Departments can be easily achieved. I am ])leased to state that, from the commencement, Dr. Clifford Jones has taken full advantage of this proximity to ensure the closest possible collaboration and ct)-operat.ion. .Although most of his time is devoted to clinical duties, he retains a keen .biterest in the prevention, care and after-care of tuberculosis.