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180
During the six months there were 65 attendances of which 20
were new cases and 45 re-visits. Forty-six of these attendances
were women and 19 men.
Referrals to General Practitioners were 19
„ Dental Practitioners 2
„ Chiropodist 5
„ Optician 3
Referrals to General Practitioners were for the following
reasons:—
Hypertension 3 Hernia 2
Hearing defects 2 Congestive heart failure 1
Depression 2 Vitamin deficiency 2
Sugar in urine 1 Skin condition 1
Urinary infection 3 Gastric disturbance 2
A general medical examination was carried out on everyone
who attended the clinics, provided that they had not recently
seen their General Practitioners and were not under active treatment.
Examinations included vision and hearing tests, examination
of blood pressure and urine testing and advice most frequently
sought was in connection with diet, loneliness and decreased
mobility.
Under the care of Dr. Nicholson, Consultant Geriatrician, the
following hospitals have geriatric beds:—
The Brook Hospital
St. Nicholas Hospital
The Memorial Hospital
There are also geriatric beds at the Greenwich District Hospital
under the supervision of Dr. Boyd, Consultant Geriatrician.
Geriatric Adviser to the Council
In his Circular 10/65, the Minister of Health pointed out that
although the various Health and Welfare Services for the elderly are
not under one authority, their purpose is to provide what is essentially
a single service for each individual who needs it.
There are indications that, despite every effort made to the
contrary, much undiagnosed illness and undisclosed disability in
the elderly exists.
It was clear that early recognition of changes in the physical or
mental condition of our old folk in the Council's homes would be
most satisfactorily achieved by a doctor responsible both to the
hospital and to the local authority. This desire for a closer association
between the Health and Welfare department and the hospitals'