[Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Staffordshire County Council.

  • Staffordshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1967
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Staffordshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/138 (page 4)
    with the County Borough of Stoke-on-Trent. A whole-time Tutor was appointed to the course and special lectures were given by the staffs of the two Health Departments concerned. At the time of writing it is known that out of 11 candidates, 10 were successful in passing their examinations. Apart from the high standard of training obtainable under the auspices of the University, the course naturally is of great benefit to the local authorities participating and as it is hoped to train greater numbers in the subsequent years, there is now a possibility that the long¬ standing shortage of Health Visitors may be reduced and possibly eliminated. The second scheme was the putting into effect of the recommenda¬ tions of the working party on the training of ambulance personnel on an experimental basis. Staffordshire was one of the nine authorities selected to run experimental courses which were inspected by a working party appointed by the Ministry in order that their value could be properly established. It is pleasing to report that the work at the Stafford Station was found to be of a high standard and it is hoped that Staffordshire may continue as one of the training authorities. Apart from the value of well- trained, competent ambulance men for the service, the running of the training course demands a high standard from those giving the training. During the year, a notable event was the opening of the Health Centre at Rugeley. This represented the end result of some seven years’ discussions and negotiation and is a tribute, not only to the stamina of those concerned, but to the enthusiasm of the doctors who, throughout this long period, held to the idea of the value of a Health Centre to themselves and the community. The details of this Centre are given in the report and it is a great satisfaction to be able to say that with the minimum of difficulty the Centre is running efficiently and is regarded by the patients and doctors as a big improvement on the old methods and premises. This Centre is one of some 22 Centres which the Department would like to see in operation throughout the County. Because of site difficulties and questions of design, the negotiations are necessarily fairly long and it is very much to be regretted that owing to the difficult financial con¬ ditions, the County Council limited the building of new Health Centres for the next year or two. The building of Health Centres is as important within the domiciliary field of medical treatment as the building of hospitals in that part of the National Health Service and, of course, infinitely less costly. The dif¬ ference in the financial treatment of the two is striking and will be regarded by some people as a further argument for the integration of the National Health Service. As a result of the previous year’s planning, during the year a new clinic was opened at Harriseahead which will be used not only for County purposes but as a surgery by General Practitioners and in other parts of the County six additional premises in hired buildings were opened. During the year, the two hostels at Lichfield (the Junior and Senior Hostels) and Adult Centres at Cannock and Lichfield were opened. The last two new buildings represent a big step forward in the application of the spirit of the 1959 Mental Health Act that mental cases shall, as far as possible, be provided for within the community and it is very pleasing indeed to record the welcome given by the public to the Training Centres and the Hostels. This is demonstrated by the enthusiasm and continual