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58
VENEREAL DISEASES
There are four special clinics for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases in Westminster. All the
clinics show an increase in attendances from the previous year and generally the increase has been in
patients who attend for non-specific conditions.
The special clinic at Westminster Hospital has been re-designed and modernised, sessions are now held
each weekday afternoon and on Wednesday and Friday mornings. Resulting from this the annual
attendances increased by 1,730 from the previous year.
Six social workers provided by the City Council work in pairs at three of the four special clinics in the
area. They trace contacts of confirmed cases and persuade them to attend for examination and possible
treatment. In addition to their normal clinic duties, two of the social workers at St. Mary's Hospital,
Praed St. W.2, are also responsible for tracing contacts notified by American Service bases in and around
London; from abroad as forwarded through the Department of Health and Social Security and from local
authorities outside London. During 1971 122 such notifications were received and 78 (64%) contacts were
traced and brought to treatment. This remarkably high success rate is due to the astute work of the social
workers concerned, particularly as some of the notifications have few relevant details of the contacts.
All the social workers give help of a practical nature as well as casework support. Close liaison is
maintained with other agencies. During 1971 5,552 patients attending special clinics were interviewed and
1,773 home visits undertaken.
The City Council has since 1965 maintained a Public Enquiry Telephone Service (928 3401) which is
manned day and night to provide information relating to venereal diseases to any enquirer. During 1971,
1,012 calls were received; 724 (71%) were requests for clinic information — details of addresses, times of
sessions and directions; 252 (25%) were requests for literature on venereal diseases and 36 (4%) were calls
from prospective bridegrooms for a 'check-up' before marriage. Apart from the telephone requests for
literature, some 237 letters were received from persons requesting lists of clinics and other relevant
literature. In response to this the City Council produced in leaflet form a notice giving details of all venereal
disease clinics in the Greater London area.
Owing to the frequent changes in session times at the London hospitals special clinics, a revised large
notice is being produced for all the City Council public lavatories. Smaller notices on ceramic tiles, giving
the address of the Medical Officer of Health and the V.D. telephone number, are continuing to be installed
in all new or reconditioned W.C. cubicles in public lavatories in Westminster. This work is being phased over
a three year period.
Appropriate staff of the Health Department participated in a number of talks on venereal diseases at
various outside establishments. The Medical Officer of Health, a Principal Medical Officer and the Assistant
for Health Education participated in a BBC Radio London broadcast on this topic in February 1971. This
was an "open ended" discussion lasting some 2½ hours in which members of the public were invited to
telephone the studio and put questions to the panel. The programme aroused considerable interest. Some of
the Health Department social workers also took part in television broadcasts on Independent and BBC
Television during the year. (Table 40, page 90).
RECUPERATIVE HOLIDAYS
Arrangements are made under the City Council's scheme for adults who have been suffering from a
recent illness, expectant mothers and mothers with babies or children under five years who cannot be
left at home, to receive recuperative holidays, usually of a fortnight's duration. Persons who are unable to
meet the full charge for the holiday are assessed to pay in accordance with the City Council's assessment
scales; those in receipt of supplementary benefit receive free holidays.
The Inner London Education Authority bears the cost of and arranges placement for recuperative
holidays for school children.