London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ealing 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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22. IMMIGRATION
are in the Borough various immigrant communities from Commonwealth
other countries but it is the Indian and Pakistani community in the Southall
who are in need of most assistance from the Health Department. This
unity numbers approximately 10,000 persons. Special efforts have been made
Health Department to assist them and to ensure that they know and make
the various health services.
???guage can, of course, prove a difficult barrier and, in order to overcome this,
apartment employs two interpreters and one Indian health visitor. In addition,
???gements are in hand for a course of instruction in Punjabi, the commonest of
Indian dialects spoken, for officers who are working with the Indian community,
arrangements are to commence early in 1966 and will consist of instruction
I working hours to a group of about 15 medical, nursing and administrative
Apart from the object of gaining a rudimentary knowledge of the language, it
bed that the lectures will include some information on Indian customs and
???e. Such background knowledge is, I feel, of great help to the Department's
???n working in full sympathy with the community.
ails of all new immigrants proceeding to the Borough are notified to the Health
treatment by the authorities at the port of arrival. On receipt of such information
??gements are made for a health visitor to call. The purpose of this visit is to
Details of the visits that have been in this respect are as follows:—
| Notification from port authorities of country from which immigrant arrives | Number of advice notes received from port authorities | Number of successful visits paid by health visitors to new immigrants |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth countries: | ||
| Caribbean | 172 | 136 |
| India | 254 | 217 |
| Pakistan | 44 | 35 |
| Other Asian | 20 | 16 |
| Africa | 11 | 8 |
| Other | 40 | 13 |
| Non-Commonwealth countries: | ||
| Europe | 90 | 66 |
| Other | 13 | 11 |
| Total | 644 | 502 |
special service is given to immigrant school children. Head teachers of all
???ls notify this Department, at our request, of entrants who are immigrants. A
n??? visitor then visits the school and carries out a tuberculosis skin test on the
???en. Those shown to be susceptible are offered B.C.G. immunisation, a
dure described elsewhere in this report.
immigrant community makes full use of the clinical services and is appreciative
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