[Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Port Talbot Borough.

  • Port Talbot (Wales). Borough Council.
Date:
1966
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1966] / Medical Officer of Health, Port Talbot Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/66 (page 4)
    REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE YEAR 1966 To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Port Talbot. Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, It gives me pleasure to present for your consideration the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1966. As Members will be aware there is a statutory requirement upon the Medical Officer of Health to compile and present an Annual Report affecting the Health and Welfare of the population in the area. The report is prepared in accordance with Circular 1/67 (Wales) from the Welsh Board of Health. During the early part of 1966, your Medical Officer of Health was unfortunately indisposed and underwent a major operation but happily, through the skill and care of Surgeons, Nurses and ancilliaries made a good recovery and was able to resume his duties towards the end of March. I would like to express my very grateful thanks to all my colleagues on the Council, Mayor, Members and staff who visited me both in hospital and at home and who expressed themselves in such a kind manner. I may state with confident sincerity that the loyal support of all my colleagues in the Public Health Department did not go un-noticed. Having had a taste of the stick”, as it were, one looks at the Vital Statistics affecting the health of the people with a more piercing eye. One examines—perhaps even more closely—the provisions being made for the care and wellbeing of the population at large, and more especially those who are ill or afflicted in one way or another. To prevent sickness and maintain good health is an important part of the service of your Public Health Department and to this end certain actions and constant vigilance is called for. Your drinking water must be pure, potable and of good quality. During the year the physical responsibility for ensuring this passed from your direct control to that of the newly formed West Glamorgan Water Board. I am glad to be able to report that the officers of the Board and ourselves have formed a cordial relationship of co-operation. I shall continue to maintain a vigilant eye on your water supply and to this end the Public Health Inspectorate will continue strategic sampling on my behalf. Details of the sampling during the year appear in Mr. Carter’s portion of the Report We have established a system of reciprocation inasmuch as the Water Board give us sight of the results of their sampling in return lor sight of ours.