View report page

6
It is not amenable to preventive measures applicable by public health
services. There was another fractional rise in the percentage figure for
illegitimate live births, which are now nearly twice as frequent as in the
decade 1930 - 1939. There was a slight rise in the general death rate,
but the figures are within-the range of normal annual fluctuations.
Diseases of the heart and circulation, and cancer remain the principle
causes of death, but the trend for these to appear at earlier ages is not
shown for 1966 in comparison with the previous year. More men died from
cancer of the lung than in 1965. There were 10 deaths from cancer of the
cervix uteri, but this figure was only 2.3% of all deaths from cancer.
Unquestionably every effort must be made to prevent any form of cancer,
but if the cervical smear test succeeds in preventing entirely cancer of
the cervix uteri, it will have little effect on total cancer mortality in
women.
Communicable Diseases
Measles was again the most prevalent infection, an outbreak beginning
in the final quarter of the year. The disease was mainly mild in
character, and there was no death. Sonne dysentery was troublesome
during the winter months, not because of the severity of the illness, but
as a recognisable condition necessitating control measures. There were
no cases of poliomyelitis or diphtheria, and the number of notifications
of whooping cough were exceptionally low.
Personal Health Services
Two changes of attitude became apparent which are likely to have
profound effects on these services. Firstly, applications from groups and
individual practitioners for the attachment of Corporation Health Visitor,
Nursing and Midwifery staff. Secondly, specific requests from family
doctors for accommodation in Corporation premises or the provision of
Health Centres. Every effort was made to meet proposals for the attachment
of staff, but great recruitment difficulties, particularly for Health
Visitors, curtailed our meeting all requirements. Details are given in an
Appendix to my report. On Health Centres active planning went forward,
and one was approved for building in 1967/68.
There are many factors in this new approach to family doctoring, but
the principle cause seems to be the increasing demands by patients on a
diminishing number of general medical practitioners. That the family
doctors should be the leaders of medical nursing and social work teams,
operating from properly equipped premises is a logical method of solving
the present near crisis in this service. There is clearly an urgent duty
for local health authorities to do all in their power to support the domiciliary
medical service as one basic to the needs of the community.