London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

Islington 1969

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

Text

Copy text to clipboard

PREVENTION OF BREAK-UP OF FAMILIES.
There were six meetings of the Co-ordinating Committee during the year. Case Conferences were held
on 26 occasions and a total of 195 families considered.
STUDENT VISITS
A total of 471 students visited various branches of the department during the year. The students
came from a variety of disciplines and it was felt that by providing a knowledge of the function of the
Public Health Department we were laying a foundation for co-operation with workers in other fields in the
future.
As in former years, we were pleased to welcome girls from local schools into the Council's day
nurseries where they gave voluntary help.
VENEREAL DISEASE
Social Workers employed by the Council are attached to the special clinics at Holloway Prison and
the Royal Northern Hospital. Their time is fully occupied in tracing contacts and endeavouring to ensure
that any necessary treatment is obtained. They also follow-up patients who fail to complete treatment.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE ARRANGEMENTS

Table: The Council continued to use the Admissions and Doctors' Inquiry Service situated in the Whittington Hospital. The service deals with calls for health services after office hours, at week-ends and during bank holidays. This service is shared with the London Boroughs of Camden and Haringey. Details of the calls dealt with are given below.

The Council continued to use the Admissions and Doctors' Inquiry Service situated in the Whittington Hospital. The service deals with calls for health services after office hours, at week-ends and during bank holidays. This service is shared with the London Boroughs of Camden and Haringey. Details of the calls dealt with are given below.

1968
Domiciliary Midwifery318(414)
Mental Health596(468)
Home Nursing263(249)
Infectious diseases2(4)
Other42(44)
Total1221(1239)

Text

Copy text to clipboard

EMERGENCY TRANSPORT
Midwives and mental health social workers were able to make use of special car hire facilities.
CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHILDREN'S AND WELFARE DEPARTMENTS
Residential establishments under the control of the Children's Committee are visited regularly by a
senior medical officer. The premises and the children's medical records are inspected and informal advice is
given to the house-parents on hygiene and other related matters. Children who are handicapped or are at
risk of developing a handicap are followed-up and, where appropriate, a report from a hospital consultant is
obtained. The senior medical officer's reports on the homes are passed to the Children's Officer for his
consideration.
96