View report page

- 22 -
This movement of parents with young families does not have the same
effect on booster doses which, in practice, largely relate to the
number of school places available in the borough to new entrants.
Another factor operative is the low recorded rate of immunisation
by general practitioners (e.g., in poliomyelitis only 20% of all
immunisations as compared with 23% to 66% in England and Wales). This
also is more apparent than real.
Where the immunisation was carried out as part of the family
doctor service, the department only receives records for which fees
are payable, originally by this department and, more recently, by
the Executive Council. It is known that, in many cases, doctors have
carried out immunisations privately or have not submitted a record
and claimed the appropriate fee. In such circumstances, the department
has no accurate information as to the immunisation rate by
practitioners.
The Council continued to take part in the Medical Research
Council's Trial of Measles Vaccine.
It has not been necessary to make arrangements for vaccination
against anthrax as there were no establishments in the borough in
which employees would be at risk.
The scheme for offering BCG vaccination to thirteen-year-old
school children and contacts of tuberculosis was continued.
POLIOMYELITIS IMMUNISATION.
In my previous Annual Report I expressed concern at the fall in
numbers of primary courses of immunisation and this trend has
continued in 1967. Booster doses have, however, increased. The
degree of protection in the community remains at an unsatisfactorily
low level, but fortunately there have not been any cases of the
disease during the year.
Total primary
courses completed
Total reinforcing
doses
1967 1966 1967 1966
At Council clinics -
Salk 2 13 Nil 4
Sabin 2,324 2,812 2,414 1,432
By general
practitioners -
Salk Nil 22 Nil 9
Sabin 384 509 160 136
TOTAL 2,710 3,356 2,574 1,581