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Health on three occasions for approval to an expansion of the service. The Minister
was unable, on financial grounds, to agree to the opening of any new clinics but in 1956
agreed to a more even geographical distribution throughout the County of existing
sessions provided that attendance at the re-allocated sessions was restricted to expectant
mothers and to elderly persons. Particulars of new cases and attendances are shown in the
table on page 89.
The majority of treatments provided at the clinics are for superficial excrescences
(corns, callosities, etc.) and malformed nails. Advice is given on shoe fitting, foot
hygiene and exercises. For infirm, aged and housebound patients unable to reach a
clinic in any other way, transport has been provided.
In some divisions it has been possible, by grouping chiropodists into larger units so
that three or four work simultaneously at one session, to make it economical to provide
clerical assistance to relieve the chiropodists of clerical work.
Recuperative holidays—The demand for recuperative holidays for adults, mothers and
children, and unaccompanied children has declined since 1950. Doctors in child welfare
centres and general practitioners who, together, have made the majority of recommendations,
no longer refer very young children, especially those under two years of
age, for recuperative holidays unless the circumstances are quite exceptional. This has
been one major factor in the fall in demand for places. The services of the Invalid
Children's Aid Association have not been used for placing unaccompanied children
since 1953. The Women's Voluntary Service, who in 1948 had a holiday home at
Aldeburgh where children with non-tuberculous chest infections had holidays up
to three months, were compelled because of rising costs to offer ordinary recuperative
holidays from 1949 to 1958, when the home closed altogether. Many parties of children
from 8-15 years of age under the care of an organiser and his staff, have been given a
fortnight's holiday at a private hotel on the Kent coast. This scheme was transferred
in 1958 to Cambridge House, Bognor Regis, run entirely by the Council. Children
from 3-8 years have been placed at Roland House, Littlehampton, which the Council
has also acquired as a recuperative holiday home.
Risk of infection among babies has always been a problem in placing mothers with
very young children. The risk has been minimised by the use of private accommodation
obtained through advertisements in the press inviting householders to take one or a
maximum of two mothers with young children for a recuperative holiday. All
applicants are visited by a medical officer of the department and minimum requirements
for facilities for making bottle feeds and for napkin washing have been made.
Venereal disease—Arrangements initiated during the second world war for the tracing
of contacts and the following-up of defaulting patients have been continued under
section 28 of the National Health Service Act, 1946. Welfare officers undertake the
tracing of contacts of patients, details of whom have been provided by hospitals,
medical services of the British, Commonwealth and United States Armed Forces, and
local health authorities, and assist clinics in case of difficulty in following-up patients
who have defaulted.
One female welfare officer works part-time at St. Paul's hospital following-up
defaulters from the clinic and part-time on the tracing of contacts. Visiting of male
contacts or defaulters is undertaken by one of the Council's male public health
inspectors.
In 1950, at the request of the Prison Commissioners, the part-time services of a female
welfare officer were made available for attendance at the clinic at Holloway Prison and
for following-up contacts and prisoners on discharge. In 1952 the appointment was
made full-time. Despite the many difficulties encountered, good results continue to be
achieved in overcoming the reluctance of prisoners to attend out-patient clinics on
discharge or, where necessary, to complete treatment in hospitals. The task of followingup
patients and their families for the purpose of securing tests involves much visiting