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19
SUPPORT AT PRESENT PROVIDED FOR THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER
(AND THUS FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICES) WHICH WILL BECOME THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NEW AREA HEALTH AUTHORITIES
(a) Public health nursing comprising the services of health
visitors, midwives, district nurses, clinic nurses, and
nursing auxiliaries.
(b) Attachment to general practitioners of health visitors, home
nurses and midwives who will thus be in a particularly
favourable position to act as alerting agencies in
ensuring that all necessary aid obtained for the
disabled, the elderly and others in need of social
service support. Family practice is potentially the
ideal setting for health education.
(c) Development of health centres thus encouraging a high
standard of primary medical and nursing care and a
close association with the social services.
(d) A clinic and domiciliary chiropody service to meet in
particular the needs of the elderly and the disabled.
(e) Provision of family planning, cervical cytological screening
and immunisation services for the general public.
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Some of the medical advice needed in relation to the above
activities will properly be given by the family doctor or the
hospital consultant but much of it will need to be sought through
the community physician of the future if the effort of the new
health and social services is to be fully effective. Similarly,
mutual collaboration in in-service training of staff is equally
essential if all engaged in the health and social services are to
play their respective parts to the full. Nursing advice must also
be freely available.
Finally, there will be a continuing need for dental advice
in relation to expectant and nursing mothers, pre-school and
school children, which is currently provided by the major local
authorities. In this regard the school dental service looms large.
It hardly needs emphasising that the integrated health service
of the future will be in equal need of the skilled advice and
support of the members of the staff of the new Social Services
Departments of the major local authorities.