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a year's supply of the pills) is paid by the Council to the Association for each patient
advised at the Association's clinics on referral on medical grounds by the Council's medical
officers. Recommendations by general practitioners and hospitals made through the
Council's divisional medical officer are included in this arrangement. The only charge
made by the Association to patients referred in this way is for articles provided.
In 1949 the Health Committee decided that the Family Planning Association should
be allowed to hold clinics rent free in health service premises. The Association is not
permitted to make any charge to the patients except for articles supplied. Women who
are not recommended under the Council's scheme may attend the Association's clinics
held on Council premises, where they may be advised and/or treated under conditions
(including payment) determined by the Association.
At the Council's own family planning clinics, appliances and medicaments on approved
lists are stocked and sold or issued free of charge as appropriate. Since 1963 oral contraceptives
have been issued free of charge to selected women for whom this is the only
practicable means of birth control. A letter is sent to the patient's general practitioner
asking for his approval or for information about contra-indication to oral contraception.
Oral contraceptives are free of charge because they are regarded as a medicament rather
than an appliance.
In May 1963 the Marie Stopes Memorial Foundation, Ltd. started a limited experimental
scheme with the Council's agreement, in the first instance in division 2 to which
it is still limited, in which the mothers of problem families are visited in their own homes
and given advice on family planning and the necessary appliances, etc., free of charge
and without cost to the Council. Only families approved and notified by the Council's
divisional medical officer may be included and the Foundation has undertaken to
communicate with the family doctor before visiting. (Similar experiments by the Foundation
are being conducted in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Southampton and Birmingham.) The
indications are that the experiment is proving most satisfactory.
On 1 December 1964 the Council decided that it wished to extend its support to organisations
giving family planning advice so as to include all their undertakings, including the
giving of family planning advice on other than medical grounds, of advice on marital
relationships and of advice to unmarried people. The Minister of Health was asked to
receive representatives of the Council to discuss any necessary ministerial authority to
enable this decision to be implemented. The meeting took place early in 1965 and the
Minister assured the deputation that the Council's views and suggestions were under active
consideration.

* First attendances do not exclude women who attended also in earlier years.
Cervical cancer screening
The value of exfoliative cytology in the early diagnosis of cancer of the cervix is now
fully accepted. The Minister of Health has accepted that routine screening should be available
to all women at risk as laboratory facilities become available and has said the intention
is to rely on general practitioners to carry out the routine screening of their patients but
local authorities might wish to assist in some areas. The Health Committee agreed (8.12.64)
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