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Population Screening for Carcinoma of the Cervix of the Uterus
The Council resolved in September to establish a service for screening for the
early detection of cancer of the cervix as part of its arrangements for the prevention
of illness under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, 1946.
In December, the Minister of Health approved the addition of the following
paragraph to the Council's existing approved proposals:—
"The Council will provide a service for the collection of cervical smears for
cytological diagnostic investigation by hospital authorities."
The service commenced early in 1966 with one session per week at three suitably
situated clinics for the taking of 60 specimens a week until further diagnostic
facilities could be provided. This was a culmination of negotiations and cooperation
between the Borough Council, the North East Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board, the Middlesex Executive Council and the Middlesex Local Medical
Committee.
No one doubts to-day the value of this service, for which there has been considerable
public demand, and for which the Family Planning Association has
recently been making limited provision.
The scheme itself is based upon that approved by the Ministry of Health.
At present, women between the ages of 35 and 60 years are eligible and check-ups
are recommended at five-yearly intervals. The patient and her family doctor are
informed of the result and where treatment is necessary, this will be arranged or
carried out by the family doctor.
It is emphasised that the clinics are for apparently healthy women only, and
no examination, apart from the cervical smear, will be carried out.
(Statistical Tables 10, 11, 12—see pages 115-116).
MIDWIFERY
Under Section 23 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, it is the duty of
every local health authority to provide a domiciliary midwifery service.
Domiciliary midwives attended 1,318 confinements this year and undertook
the care of 329 patients discharged home after hospital confinement before the
tenth day. The latter figure, which included those who took their own early discharge,
and those who, though booked for home confinement, were admitted to
hospital as an emergency, consisted mainly of those cared for under the Council's
planned early discharge scheme. All patients under the care of a domiciliary midwife
were issued with a maternity pack, and all patients having their first baby,
whether at home or in hospital, received a booklet, "To Mothers and Fathers",
which gives information regarding health during pregnancy and advice on the rearing
of a young child.
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