[Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough.

  • Merthyr Tydfil (Wales : County). Borough Council.
Date:
1970
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    experience before entering Public Health, and his services as he became experienced in the different ethos of preventative work showed promise. However, he has now been appointed the future Director of Social Services, to commence duty on April 1st 1971, our loss, their gain. May I through this medium however, express the best wishes of myself and staff to him in his new post. On the environmental side progress has been made with our Clearance programme. The noise nuisance mentioned last year continues. This tendency for modem health hazards to be difficult either technically, administratively, economically or otherwise to be elimin- ated is deplorable. The complexity of modem life often make me feel that many of those 'drop outs' who opt for simple life isolated from others are really the only sensible human beings left. We who have to deal with community life as we find it have our efforts baulked on all sides for some reason or another, and the quality of life seems to be the last measure considered. Gypsy Caravans are still a cause for complaint. All are agreed on the need for a site; the gypsies, the Health and other Departments; the Community as a whole; however, wherever a site has been suggested there seems to have been inevitable reasons why it could not be used. Until there is a site, the public health dangers of the present will persist, particularly now the Courts refuse us orders to remove the offending caravans because they have not been assured of the Authorities good faith in providing a site by positive action. Some progress towards the fluoridation of water supplies has been made. The other Authorities concerned have now come to agreement and the Taf Fechan Water Board is in a position to fluoridate the Pontsticill supply, provided the finance is available and formal agreement completed. We can therefore, look for some improvement in dental health from late next year if all goes well. I must not forget in this Report to thank the Staff for its loyal service and Voluntary Organisations for their help during the year. The Family Planning Association continues to provide its Agency Service with success, with additional Clinics being held at Troedyrhiw and Gumos. During the year a new Agency Scheme was formally entered into providing free advice to all Merthyr residents with free supplies to those referred by the Health Department. I must also thank the Members of the Health Committee for their support, in carrying out the development of the services for which I am responsible. I remain, Mr. Mayor Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, R. M. WILLIAMS Medical Officer of Health.