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 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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14. 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,
whilst the Council is responsible for the visiting and welfare services under Section 28 of the National
Health Service Act.
Because of the Hospital Committee's Catchment Areas, patients residing in Ealing and Acton are
referred to the Ealing Chest Clinic, Green Man Passage, W.13, whilst those living in Southall are
referred to the chest clinic at Hillingdon Hospital for investigation and treatment.
In the long term it is the Council's policy to integrate the tuberculosis visiting service with the
health visiting service. Indeed, tuberculosis visitors as such are no longer being trained and eventually
this designation will disappear. At present, however, only one of the Council's six tuberculosis
visitors is a qualified health visitor and therefore able to carry out combined duties.
Details of the work during 1968 are as follows:-
TUBERCULOSIS HEALTH VISITORS
Number of new tuberculosis cases 175
Number of old tuberculosis cases 4,192
Transfers into borough 30
Number of contacts of new cases 1,088
Successful visits to tuberculosis households 3,927
Unsuccessful visits to tuberculosis households 1,060
Successful visits to other patients 627
MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER
The statistics of the cases seen by the Medical Social Worker relate only to cases under the
care of Ealing Chest Clinic. Those attending Hillingdon Hospital are seen by the Medical
Social Worker there.
DETAILS OF CASES
Cases first referred during the year 151
Total cases 359
Tuberculosis patients 189
Cancer patients 70
Bronchitis and others 100
ACTION TAKEN
Referred for employment 14
Found employment 10
Referred to Social Security for maintenance 22
Referred to Social Security for bedding 1
Referred to Social Security for clothing 4
Referred to Social Security for extra nourishment 11
Referred for Housing 65
Rehoused 22
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