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CERVICAL CYTOLOGY
During the year 81 sessions were held at South Kensington, Holland Street and St.
Quintin health centres with a total of 666 attendances. No positive smears were recorded.
Since 1967 the Council have accepted financial responsibility for the screening
service provided for residents at the Well-women Clinic of the Royal Marsden Hospital.
During 1972, 130 residents attended this Clinic. No positive smears were recorded.
The Annual Report for 1969 contained a comprehensive survey of the Cervical
Cytology services provided by the borough since 1966 and it was stated that attendances at
the cytology sessions had been disappointing in spite of the intensive publicity campaign in
1968. The figures published at the time referred only to "voluntary" attendances at the
Council's Clinics and the Royal Marsden Hospital, but it was known that a considerable
number of women had smears taken by their general practitioners, private consultants, or in
hospital and family planning clinics. Based on very inaccurate data, it was estimated that
about 4,000 residents had smears taken in these various ways every year.
The National Recall Scheme introduced by the Department of Health and Social
Security for the routine testing every five years of women over 35 years of age commenced
on 1st January, 1972. This scheme made it possible for us to have more accurate numbers of
residents tested, as the revised Cervical Cytology report form used by the majority of
laboratories throughout the country provides a copy of the report for the Medical Officer of
Health of the borough in which that person resides. In 1972, a total of 7,536 reports were
received. The numbers are encouraging but not altogether satisfactory because 5,433 were
women under 35 years of age and therefore not in the "at risk" group. Going back to the
estimated figure of 8,000 "at risk" women who should be examined annually, the number
of women tested in this category represents 28% of the total. I am pleased to note, however,
that 4,185 were tests taken for the first time.
Another advantage of the National Recall Scheme is that a woman in the "at risk"
age group will receive an automatic reminder after five years that a further test is due.
During the year 713 borough residents, known to have taken a previous test in 1967,
received letters inviting them to take another test. Several letters were returned undelivered
due to the constant movement of the population in this area. This fact alone would appear
to justify the setting-up of a National Scheme. Local arrangements still continue for the
recall of women under 35 years of age. The difficulty, however, still lies in persuading
women in the "at risk" age group to take the initial test as a necessary precaution and there
is a known reluctance among women in social classes 3, 4 and 5, who are a particularly high
risk group, to come forward for examination.
This is borne out by the figures for 1972 which show that although women in
groups 3, 4 and 5 represent about 70% of the borough's female population, they accounted
for only 29% of the total tests.
FAMILY PLANNING
Family planning Services continued to be provided by the West London Branch of
the Family Planning Association in six Centres in the borough.
Attendances again increased during the year and the Council accepted financial
responsibility for 7230 borough residents as against 5305 in 1971.