[Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Padiham U.D.C.

  • Padiham (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1966
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Padiham U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/50 (page 2)
    Health Department, PADIHAM. July, 1967. Mr, Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present this Annual Report on the Health and Sanitary situation of the Urban District of Padiham, in respect of the year ending 31st December, 1966* The contents and lay-out are in accordance with the Ministry of Health Circular l/67 dated January, 1967* It is again a pleasure to draw your attention to the continued rise in the estimated population. Since I960, the population has increased by almost 400 people, and of these, the natural increase - excess of births over deaths - is 166. Thus ~]0 or 80 families have actually moved into the area. The estimated population dropped to its lowest figure in i960, but is now standing where it was at the end of the war, A similar pattern has been followed by the births, the 1966 total being the highest for 20 years or so. This is not merely of academic interest, being one of the important factors in forward planning, such as in education, where 30 more children in one age group, could mean an extra teacher, classroom, equipment, meals facilities, etc. At this point reference must be made to the illegitimacy rate - nearly 10%. The progressive housing policy, both slum-clearance and building, is of course encouraging to potential in-comers, particularly those from the south, whose preconceived image of our way of life has possibly been adversely conditioned by television. Padiham now has many attractively laid out brick built housing estates, private and Council owned, with gardens, wide streets and amenities - easy access to the lakes, the dales and the sea, and convenient for the fine shopping centres of Leeds/Bradford and Manchester. In addition at the time of writing, the new Health Centre has just been opened. This is amongst the first of its kind in the country, is sited near car-parks, bus stops and shops, and is indeed all credit to the family doctors, who have had the drive to undertake such a v/orthwhile scheme, in order to provide the highest possible medical service for their patients. Another eagerly awaited and long overdue feature, are the public swimming baths, on which work should begin soon. It is essential that children should lose any fears of water, and if possible, learn how to swim, to avoid any of the drowning incidents of which we hear with tragic regularity. With the implementation of the seventh Smoke Control Order on 1st December, 1966, 1132 houses (31% of the total) and 323 acres (5A% of the total) have been dealt with. There are few local authorities in the north-west with percentages above these, but it will be many years yet before the whole town has been finally declared smoke free. However, an increasing number of houses are found to comply with requirements, as each new area is surveyed, so that progress in clearing the atmosphere is actually ahead of the official programme. Finally, I acknowledge with sincerity the good work of Mr. Wrigley and Mr. Beardsworth, also my thanks to Mrs. McCrerie for typing this Report. I am, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, J. V. DYER. -2- Medical Officer of Health.