[Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Selby R.D.C.

  • Selby (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1968
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Selby R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Centre and this provides better social and working conditions for those almost recovered from mental illness. Finally, I must record my thanks for the continued support by the Members and Officers of the Council during 1968. I remain. Your obedient servant, S. KENNAUGH APPLETON, September 1969. Medical Officer of Health. VALEDICTION At the time of writing this 1968 Report I am continuing as your Medical Officer of Health for an extended period of six months. Although I expect to be responsible for your public health services for the whole or 1969 and into 1970, it is reasonable to assume that the next annual report will be written by my successor. This Report, therefore, should be the last one I present, so it gives me an opportunity to look back over a considerable period of close association with the Rural District. By the time I retire I shall have had the honour and privilege to have served the District for well over 22 years; a record surpassed of course by my immediate predecessor, but one unlikely to be equalled in the uncertain future. I took up my appointment with the four constituent authorities on 3rd November, 1947, with particular responsibility for organising a Divisional Health Service to come into operation on the appointed day, 5th July, 1948. A new era in public health began then, has matured over a generation and might well be coming to an end with proposals for amalgamation and the proposed drastic reorganisation of local government in the not so distant future. The rapid build-up of existing services and the innovation of new ser¬ vices, particularly in the early years, had to be met by a rapid increase of trained personnel. The Divisional establishment, which has been relatively static for several years, is made up as follows: 1 Divisional M.O.H., 2 Depart¬ mental M.O.s, 3 part-time consultants, 26 nurses, 2 mental welfare officers, 8 training centre and 2 day centre staff, and 10 clerical staff. Clinic services have been centralised in Selby and have progressed from a variety of rented halls, all more or less unsatisfactory, to a fine purpose- built multiple health and dental clinic built in 1961. These services are avail¬ able to families in the Rural District and are used considerably by families living in parishes adjacent to Selby town, but inadequate or non-existent public transport penalises the more distant parishes. Some mothers from the Carlton area go to the Snaith clinic. Some years ago a subsidiary clinic was opened at the West Bank Settlement, in respone to public demand, but it had to be closed because of lack of support. Again, following public demand, arrangements are in operation for a mobile clinic to visit the Drax caravan site fortnightly, but very little use is made of it. The Rawcliffe Training Centre, for the training of the severely subnormal, and the Snaith Day Centre, for those convalescing from mental illness, were opened in 1961 and 1964 respectively. The era will be best remembered for the rapid progress in the control of infectious diseases by immunisation. In 1948 protection was provided only against smallpox and diphtheria; now immunisation against whooping cough, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, tetanus and measles is readily available. It has been a privilege to have inaugurated the various immunisation campaigns and