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46
The following items were issued during the year in addition to equipment already on loan:—
Air rings 33
Back rests 53
Bed cradles 48
Bed pans. 29
Bed tables 2
Carri chairs 1
Commodes 246
Cot sided beds 4
Dunlopillow mattresses 17
Easi carri hoists 6
Fracture boards 49
Hospital beds 18
Penryn hoists 11
Quadrupeds 7
Ripple mattresses 14
Tripods 15
Urine bottles 17
Walking frames 112
Wheelchairs 98
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Vaccination and Immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, measles and
smallpox are available to all children under school-leaving age, either at the child health clinics, in schools
or at the surgeries of their family doctors. Smallpox vaccination is also available in the medical suite at City
Hall for adults residing or working in Westminster; 95 adults were vaccinated in 1972 in addition to 72 at
maternal and child health clinics. Immunisation against poliomyelitis and tetanus is also provided for adults
on request.
In mid-1971 the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that routine
vaccination against smallpox should be discontinued. Accordingly smallpox vaccination has been deleted
from the children's vaccination and immunisation programme and such vaccination is now only provided
on request for children who are going abroad and require an international certificate.
Rubella vaccination, started in 1970, is available to all girls aged 11 — 13 and special sessions for this
purpose are arranged in senior schools.
CRECHES
In addition to the occasional creches which are available at the larger Maternal and Child Health Clinics
for the minding of children whilst their mothers attend clinic activities, hospital or dental appointments, the
Health Department provides therapeutic playgroups for children under 5 years of age at four of these
clinics. These latter accept children who are understimulated at home, or are failing to thrive due to adverse
housing conditions or for other reasons. Such children are recommended for entry by doctors or health
visitors. Whilst at the playgroups they have the chance to mix with others and their progress can be observed
by the professional staff.
During 1972 the total number of child attendances at the occasional creches and the therapeutic
playgroups was 12,120.
NURSING HOMES
Eleven nursing homes are registered with the City of Westminster, all of which take medical patients; 6
also take surgical patients; 3 take maternity patients and one is registered under Part 3 of the Mental Health
Act 1959 to take patients suffering from mental illness. Three of the homes are non-profit making
organisations.
Under Section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967, six of the eleven registered nursing homes applied to and
were approved by the Department of Health and Social Security to take patients for treatment for the
termination of pregnancy.
During 1972 one additional nursing home was opened providing 29 beds for geriatric patients. One
established nursing home changed ownership and after structural alteration, redecoration and refurbishing
reopened to continue similar services as offered by the former proprietors. The construction of a further
purpose-built nursing home is expected to be completed in 1973.