[Report 1958] / Medical Officer of Health, East Sussex County Council.

  • East Sussex (England). County Council.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1958] / Medical Officer of Health, East Sussex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    a personal character, especially those which help householders with problems in the home, and this increase must be expected to continue; but in spite of the obvious fact that much more money is now being spent on more services than before the appointed day, there is still a continued need for and benefit from the work done by voluntary bodies. This benefit is by no means only through the saving in money substantial though this is. A large part is played by voluntary bodies in the health services of the county and I take this opportunity to thank once again all these and their members for their support and co operation. One development during the early years of the Act and its successors has been I think closer co-operation, often detailed and personal, between the part ill authorities on one side and the hospital authorities and the general medical practitioner services on the other. It has become a commonplace of practice that any general practitioner or even consultant with a problem to deal with is likely to telephone the Public Health Department in Lewes or in Hove or any of its officers (during or outside office hours); in the opposite direction, enquiries and appeals from this department meet with a friendly and helpful response from both the medical and the administrative sides. These easy relations are of inestimable benefit to the services and to the public; they certainly existed before 1948, but under modern conditions those operating various services (and this goes far beyond, of course the actual health services) must perforce come into closer contact with each other, a condition of affairs which seems to suit a friendly county like Sussex. Another feature which has become noticeable and which concerns both voluntary and official services is the formation and vigorous development of societies representing the interests of special groups of the population suffering from (or believed to be suffering from) named handicaps. Although it has been suggested that such societies run the risk of showing more enthusiasm than knowledge it should not be forgotten that each one represents people who not only need help but can give it, and they should be encouraged by assistance and guidance from those with training and special knowledge to use their efforts to the best purpose. in my Report for 1957, after the name of Dr. M.I Silverton on page 5, I omitted by inadvertence to add the letters “O.B.E.”, indicating an honour he had gained during the year, anu I take this opportunity to apologise to him. I offer my grateful thanks to all members of the county Council and the various committees with which I have been concerned, and to my staff and colleagues of other departments, for their kindness and support during the year. I have the honour to be, Your obedient servant, F. LANGFORD. County Medical Officer of Health and Principal School Medical Officer. PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, COUNTY HALL, LEWES, SUSSEX. May, 1959.