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18. TUBERCULOSIS SERVICE
The responsibility for the Tuberculosis service in the Borough is divided
between the Council and the Regional Hospital Board. The Board is responsible for
the provision of treatment at chest clinics, while the Council is responsible for the
visiting and welfare services under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act.
The Borough is served by two chest clinics, the greater part being covered by Ealing
Chest Clinic, the Southall area being catered for by Uxbridge Chest cl inic. This has
resulted in there being different arrangements for the Council's service in the two
catchment areas. The work in the area of Ealing Chest Clinic is undertaken by the
Council's own staff, which consists of an establishment of six tuberculosis
visitors, a medical social worker, and a part-time occupational therapist. The work
in the catchment area of Uxbridge Chest Clinic, i.e. Southall, is undertaken by the
London Borough of Hillingdon on behalf of the Council. The Borough's medical social
worker does, however, attend Uxbridge Chest Clinic. As well as tuberculosis work
the chest clinic undertakes the care of other chest conditions, notably cancer a
of the lung and bronchitis.

Medical Social Worker
The statistics of the cases seen by the Medical Social Worker relate only to
her duties at Ealing Chest Clinic. Details of cases and action taken at Uxbridge
Chest Clinic for Southall residents are included in those for the whole catchment
area of that Chest Clinic, and I am not in a position to record them separately.