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100
problems including infertility and sub-fertility, etc. In appropriate
cases, facilities are also provided for the taking of cervical smears
for examination. The new clinic, opened in January at Abbey
Wood, although well supported, has not yet fulfilled expectations.
I am indebted to Harold Pring, Organising Secretary of the
South East London Branch of the Family Planning Association for
the following account of his association's activities in this Borough
during 1966. In addition to the report, the Secretary, on behalf of
his Branch, has expressed appreciation of the Council's generous
support and the ready co-operation of its officers in his organisation's
work.
"During 1966 the Family Planning Association has been
reorganised nationally with 51 geographical Branches. The South
East London Branch (No. 7) includes the London Borough of
Greenwich and thus what was originally the Greenwich Branch is
now part of the No. 7 Branch. The day-to-day management of the
family planning clinics is entrusted to local clinic committees.
Additional premises were made available to the Association
at the Abbey Wood Welfare Centre and a family planning clinic
was opened there on 7th January, 1966.
Following the issue of the Ministry of Health Circular No. 5/66
on 17th February, 1966, further meetings were held between the
Medical Officer of Health and officers of the S.E. London Branch
of the Family Planning Association and a mutually acceptable
formula was established whereby help and advice would be readily
available for all women to whom further pregnancy would be
detrimental to health.
The local authority agreed to continue to meet the cost of
treatment to such patients referred to family planning clinics by its
own medical officers during 1966 and 19 were aided in this way.
For the following year the local authority agreed to make a
block grant to the Association who, for their part, agreed to treat
all such patients referred to them by any medical practitioners,
whether or not the grant covered the cost of such treatment. It is
believed that by such simplified administration many more women
will avail themselves of the facilities and without doubt it will be
appreciated by the general medical practitioners.
The clinic established at the Homeless Families Unit at 158a
Plumstead High Street has continued to give useful service. As the
number of families therein has been reduced the facilities have been
increasingly offered to those previously resident there and to those
who, because of their circumstances, were at risk of becoming
homeless. No charges are made to the patients living there or to
those referred on social grounds by health visitors or other social
workers.