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CONTROL OF VENEREAL DISEASE
Arrangements for the employment by the Council of social workers
(welfare officers) and their attachment to the venereal disease clinics at
St Thomas', King's College and South London Hospital continued.
The equivalent of 2.8 social workers are employed for this purpose, working
directly to the consultant venereologists. Up to 1964 the main duty of these
social workers was to interview persons attending the clinics for examination or
treatment and to follow up by means of home visits, those who failed to complete
their treatments. More recently, increasing attention has been paid to the tracing
of contacts, and during the past 5 years staff has been increased by one unit to
the present level to enable additional time to be devoted to this work. 718 visits
to contacts were made in 1969. Owing to shortage of staff during part of 1970,
visits during this year fell to 572. Although complete figures are not available,
the number of new attendances by Lambeth residents at V.D. clinics increased
by approximately 30% (to about 5,500) between 1967 and 1970.
Increased efforts to prevent the spread of venereal disease have been made
under the health education programme. Activities have included the display of
posters and distribution of pamphlets at maternity and child health clinics,
and discussion during the teaching of mothercraft and ante-natal care in schools.
Venereal disease and the means by which infection is spread are included in
health education programmes at colleges of further education and in talks to
mothers' clubs. Special teaching on this subject has also been given on request to
schools, colleges and other groups e.g. St. John's Ambulance Brigade.
HOSPITAL FACILITIES
The undermentioned hospitals are located in the Borough:—
•
Lambeth Hospital, Brook Drive, S.E.11.
South Western Hospital, Landor Road, S.W.9.
Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, S.E.5.
Belgrave Hospital for Children, Clapham Road, S.W.9.
St. Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge, S.E.1.
St. Thomas' Babies Hospital, Black Prince Road, S.E.11.
General Lying-in Hospital, York Road, S.E.1.
Royal Waterloo Hospital, Waterloo Road, S.E.1.
South London Hospital for Women, Clapham Common South, S.W.4.
Weir Maternity Hospital, Weir Road, S.W.12.
British Home and Hospital for Incurables, Crown Lane, S.W.16.