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the people who ask for help are those who are experiencing serious personal problems and some
need long-term support.
In reviewing the work for 1968 there is agreement concerning the many advantages of working
together as members of a team. There is close co-operation between all the social workers in
whatever field they are working and this integration is vitally important. The staff attached to the
school health service find that their duties often extend far beyond school health and they very
often become involved in family case work. In many instances there are problems in the family
connected with old people or immigrants and because she works as a member of a comprehensive
social worker team she can either call upon one of her colleagues for advice or give direct help
herself.
Six members of the staff specialise in work connected with the school health service and they
ensure that the school children who are referred to them have access to the many facilities which
exist for their medical supervision and treatment, and they provide social work help as and when
required. They attend special investigation clinics where children receive help in connection with
behaviour disorders, and failure to make satisfactory physical and educational progress. The number
of children attending these clinics at the end of the year was 154 and 124 had been discharged
throughout the year. The number of home visits made during the year was 285. These clinics
are becoming increasingly popular with parents and children and in May a new clinic was opened
in the Paddington area where there was a long waiting list of children referred for treatment.
It is anticipated that yet another centre will be required in the near future.
In connection with the work undertaken for children who are deaf or partially hearing, a social
worker made 43 visits to the children's homes or schools and attended 414 interviews at the
local audiology clinic.
One social worker is employed full-time in connection with families who have special difficulties
and during the year he made 720 visits and there were 21 office interviews. This work is usually
long-term and involves frequent home visits and liaison with other social workers. Many of the
families need intensive and prolonged support but they can often be constructively helped if
referred at an early stage. Six members of the staff carry a limited case load of such families in
addition to their other duties. At the end of the year the number of families being visited was 29.
Five hundred and fifty-five home visits were made and there were 86 office interviews.
There are three social workers in the Health Department concerned with the care of old people
and they made 5,960 visits during the year. A wide range of services is available to old people
and every encouragement is given to them to make full use of these facilities. At present discussions
are taking place concerning methods by which social workers may come to hear of
people requiring help. It is thought that many may be unaware of the help to which they are
entitled. There is close co-operation with hospital staff, general practitioners, the Westminster Old
People's Welfare Association and other voluntary organisations.
Venereal Diseases
Contact tracing
Five social workers are employed at three hospitals which have special clinics for the treatment
of venereal diseases. The need for an increasing amount of case work has been reported and
much time is also spent in tracing contacts and following up defaulters and arranging for their
treatment. We continued our policy of appointing case workers with considerable experience at
these clinics and during the year a professionally trained social worker joined the team. During
the year, 1,906 home visits were made and 2,417 interviews took place in the clinics.
The City Council has also been responsible since 1st April, 1965, for certain functions previously
carried out by the former London County Council for tracing contacts in the London area notified
by Service bases from abroad to the Department of Health and from local authorities outside the
London area. One hundred and forty-two such notifications were received during the year and of
these 82 per cent. were from American service bases in and around London; 53 per cent. of the
contacts notified were traced and brought to treatment. Credit for these continuing satisfactory
results must be given to the social workers engaged on Venereal Diseases; their enquiries are
often hampered by scanty information of the place of contact and the minimum of a person's
description. On many occasions merely a christian name, colour of hair and height, is given.
London Public Enquiry Telephone for venereal diseases (928-3401)
This telephone is located in the Westminster Health Department and is manned day and night;
approximately 600 calls were received during the year. The majority of the calls received were