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14
MASS MINIATURE RADIOGRAPHY
During 1970 the North West and the South West London Mass X-ray Services continued to
provide regular public sessions at numerous points in Westminster. The South West London Service
also undertook six-monthly surveys in conjunction with the Westminster Hospital Chest Clinic for the
residents of the City Council's Lodging House at Bruce House, Kemble Street, W.C.2, and in this
connection they acted in close liaison with the City Council's Health and Welfare Departments.
Twice yearly X-ray sessions incorporating a special service aimed at the early discovery of lung cancer
in men over 45 years of age were provided for all City Hall staff and staff of adjacent office blocks, in
addition to the sessions for personnel at the Council's Gatliff Road Depot.
INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATES OF VACCINATION AND INOCULATION
Arrangements continued for the authentication by the Medical Officer of Health of international
certificates of vaccination and inoculation completed by medical practitioners in Westminster. These
certificates are required by persons proceeding abroad from this country and the purpose of the
authentication is to provide proof to those health authorities abroad who desire it that the signature
of the person issuing the certificate is that of a registered medical practitioner. After normal office
hours, at weekends and on public holidays, certificates can be authenticated upon application to the
Duty Officer at City Hall.
During the year under review 25,326 (20,996) such certificates were authenticated, the demand
being largely due to people going abroad for holidays and to the fact that during the summer there
was a westward extension of El Tor cholera from those areas of the world where the disease has long
been endemic. Subsequently an isolated case reached Britain with the result that travellers to known
or possibly infected areas were advised to be vaccinated against the disease, and travellers to Britain
were required to produce an international certificate of vaccination against cholera on arrival.
Arrangements were also made for travellers not in possession of a certificate to be kept under
surveillance for five days.
The Medical Officer of Health also issues, on request and in appropriate circumstances, certificates
to the effect that no cases of smallpox have occurred in the district during the preceding month.
These certificates, of which 28 (19) were issued during 1970, were sought by persons proceeding
to the United States of America who did not wish to submit to vaccination.
Evidence of vaccination is not now required for persons entering the United States unless they
have been in a country reporting smallpox within the previousl 4 days.
AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SERVICE
The telephone service maintains a focal point of contact for persons requesting urgent help or
advice with health, welfare and related problems within the City of Westminster and the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which arise outside normal office hours. As has been stated in
previous Reports the control centre is at City Hall, Westminster, and is manned by four Duty Officers
working on a rota system. Officers always available on call for Westminster and for Kensington and
Chelsea include the Medical Officers of Health or their Deputies, Senior Medical Officers and Senior
Specialist Officers, who can be contacted through the control centre to deal with emergency matters.
With regard to the less urgent problems, the Duty Officer will, if necessary, give advice and subsequently
will convey messages for the attention of the appropriate daytime staff.
During 1970, a total of 12,058 (11,835) calls were received by the Duty Officers, 9,784 (9,630)
relating to the City of Westminster and 2,274 (2,205) to the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelsea. An analysis is given in Table 6, page 67.
Three meetings were arranged during the year, two at City Hall and one at the Health Department,
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The meetings were called by the respective Medical Officers
of Health and were attended by the Duty Officers and Senior Officers from each Borough. The primary
purpose was to afford an opportunity for the Duty Officers and Senior Officers to meet each other and
to exchange views relating to the operation of the emergency telephone service. It is the intention to
arrange further meetings in 1971 to consider what changes or improvements may be necessary
consequent upon the reorganisation of the Health Departments and the formation of the new Social
Services Departments.