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The day was much enjoyed by all members of staff and the hope was expressed that these
study days might continue in the coming year to provide a much needed link in what would then
become a service provided by the S.E. Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board, the Social Services
Department, as well as the Education Department and the School Health Section of the Health
Department of the Local Authority.
FAMILY PLANNING
During the year the Council made a grant of £2,500 to the Family Planning Association and
permitted that Association to use several clinic premises and the Thamesmead Temporary Health
Centre free of charge. The Association therefore acted as the Council's agent and within the grant
it received it was able to provide a free service including advice and supplies for medical cases
referred under Sections 22 and 28 of the National Health Service Act and similarly for necessitous
cases referred by general medical practitioners. The Association was able to make charges forthe
service in other cases where appropriate. In this way other non-medical persons and the unmarried,
were accepted, but the service did not extend to domiciliary visiting.
The relevant statistics were as follows
Number of clinic sessions 904
Number of Doctors sessions 1,126 (at several clinics there are more than one
doctor present)
Total number of patients seen 5228 (of which 197 were medical or social cases)
Health Visitors and Midwives, most of whom have attended courses on family planning,
contributed appropriately to the efficiency of this service. Language difficulties with immigrants
were overcome by the use of the interpreter supplied by the Bexley Council of Social Service.
The clinic at Thamesmead Temporary Health Centre was the thousandth clinic in the
country to be opened by the Family Planning Association and in the early summer the Association
marked the occasion by arranging a reception at the Centre attended by the Mayors of Bexley and
Greenwich and 40 guests. This particular clinic is staffed by a general practitioner who has
attended one of the special training courses which are organised by the Family Planning
Association. On family planning matters he deals with his own patients at the Centre by arrangement
with the Association.
CHIROPODY
Chiropody is available for the elderly, the physically handicapped, and expectant mothers.
Treatment is carried out either by chiropodists in private practice under contract to the Council or
by Chiropodists on the staff of the Health & Welfare Department — the "Direct" service.
Treatment is also available in the patient's home if they are incapable of visiting a private
chiropodist's surgery or a clinic.
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