View report page

For school leavers there is a well established arrangement for co-ordination between
the Borough services and the handicapped young persons section of the Youth Employment
Service. The principal mental health social worker or her representative, attends the subcommittee
meetings on handicapped children of the Youth Employment Bureaux.
A separate register of deaf children of all ages is maintained by the senior social
worker (health services). Close follow-up of all children is undertaken by social workers
in conjunction with the principal medical officer.
Handicapped children in care who are in homes managed by the children's officer are seen
by the senior medical officer on her visits to the homes. Hospital reports on individual
children are obtained as appropriate. Close liaison is maintained with the Children's Officer
on individual cases.

FAMILY PLANNING
The National Health Service (Family Planning) Act 1967 extends the previous powers of
local health authorities enabling them to provide, or arrange for other bodies to provide,
advice on contraception and supplies for any person who needs them on social grounds, and
not. as hitherto, only in medical cases.
The Council's service is provided at sessions administered directly by the Council and
at those held by the Central London branch of the Family Planning Association, grant-aided
by the Council for this purpose, and the service has now been expanded in conjunction with
the Family Planning Association. Advice, examination and supplies continue to be provided
without charge to Islington women referred on medical grounds, to Council clinics and to
Family Planning Association clinics. In addition Islington women referred to these clinics
on social grounds are also seen and advised free of charge but are ordinarily required to
pay for supplies unless genuinely unable to do so. This also applies to Islington residents
who receive family planning advice on social grounds from their general practitioner; if
necessitous, they may be referred by the general practitioner to a Council clinic to obtain
supplies at a reduced charge or free of charge.
In all cases seen at clinics, the patient's general practitioner is consulted initially
where it is proposed to prescribe oral contraceptives.
The Family Planning Association hold a weekly special advice clinic for young people;
unmarried Islington persons under 18 years of age referred to this special clinic are seen
and advised free of charge, the Council accepting financial responsibility.
Those who do not come within the medical or social need categories referred to above are
not seen at Council clinics. These persons are advised to consult their own doctor or to
apply to the Family Planning Association.
During 1968 the Council's clinics were increased from four to six per week. Total
attendances at these clinics were 838.
DOMICILIARY FAMILY PLANNING
The Family Planning Association undertook to provide a domiciliary birth control service
in Islington for the benefit of those women where family restriction is deemed advisable but
where the mother is not willing or able to attend a clinic. This small pilot scheme for
approximately 50 cases is financed by charitable monies, which the Association is able to
use specifically for this purpose. If the pilot scheme proves successful it is proposed that
continuation of the service will be undertaken by the Borough.
93