[Report 1948] / Sanitary Committee [- Medical Officer of Health], Cornwall County Council.

  • Cornwall (England). County Council.
Date:
1948
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1948] / Sanitary Committee [- Medical Officer of Health], Cornwall County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Day and in the case of those with insufficient attendances to justify their continuance, no hesitation was felt in closing them having regard to the alternative health visitor domiciliary service which was available for the needs of those areas. The following centres were closed: Tintagel Lewannick Polperro Lelant In some populous parts of the County there were no child welfare centres, and clinics were opened at Torpoint and Helston. Clinics are still run by voluntary associations at: St. Mawes Portscatho Rock ib> St. Eval and St. Mawgan Camps. The County Health Authority assumed responsibility for the child welfare centres of the County from the Appointed Day and placed one of the County health visitors in charge of each centre. It is encouraging to note the continuing assistance rendered by voluntary workers in the conduct of these centres. To bring this service into closer touch with the child health service in the County, the Assistant School Medical Officers were appointed as Medical Officers of the child welfare centres in their own areas, thus providing continuous medical supervision of the health of the children from birth to school leaving age. It is hoped that Assistant School Medical Officers will be attached as Assistant Paediatricians to children’s departments of hospitals. The ultimate administrative responsibility rests with the County Health Committee, but the day to day administration is decentralised to the seven Area Sub-Committees. It is intended to carry out Health Education at these centres, and mothercraft demonstrations are already being organised. Nearly all centres are handicapped by shortage of equipment. In some centres the equipment, already purchased with the help of grants from the County Council, was handed over by the voluntary committees. Other committees sold us the equipment while some preferred to remove it. A certain amount of equipment and furniture is still urgently needed and some articles, such as scales for weighing babies, are in very short supply and delivery is slow. Mothers can obtain welfare foods at a reduced rate on presentation at the chemist’s of vouchers, which are signed by a health visitor. Previously ] welfare foods were stocked and sold at the Centres. These foods are still stocked at some of the centres where there is no convenient chemist’s shop. At the end of the year there were 37 Centres in tire County situated as follows:—