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authority clinics. In addition, an annual financial contribution was again made to
the association, which provides a service to meet the wider need for planned parenthood.
The association continued to hold one session a week at the War Memorial
Hospital and two at Chase Farm Hospital for the fitting of intra-uterine devices.
General medical practitioners provide family planning services under the
National Health Service Act, 1946.
Following discussions begun in 1966 with the Family Planning Association
concerning a domiciliary service for women unable or unwilling to attend a clinic,
a service was started on 28th April, 1967, with a team comprising doctor, nurse
and secretary. Patients were referred mainly by health visitors, although a few were
referred through the Children's Department. Initial visits to these patients are
undertaken by a doctor, who sees both husband and wife, and discusses the various
methods of family planning with them. When a satisfactory method is established
under the supervision of the doctor, further visiting is carried out by a nurse. Later
in the year, the council agreed to accept financial responsibility for this service.
During 1967, 72 patients were referred for this service : 64 on medical grounds
and eight on social grounds.
The National Health Service (Family Planning) Act, 1967, received the Royal
Assent on 28th June, 1967. It extends the existing powers of local authorities to
enable them to provide contraceptive advice and supplies for any person who seeks
such advice, and not, as previously, only in medical cases. This service is, of course,
already being provided in this borough by the Family Planning Association, which
has agreed to become the agent of the council when the Act is implemented in
Enfield.
Day Nurseries
There is one 55-place day nursery in the borough and this is approved for the
training of student nursery nurses. Children can also be placed at other local
authority day nurseries, including Haringey, Barnet and Hertfordshire, where this
arrangement would be more appropriate.
In the revision of the Ten-Year Plan carried out this year provision is made for
two new 55-place day nurseries and the replacement of the present day nursery in
Fore Street, Edmonton, which is housed in adapted premises : each nursery incorporating,
in addition, a 10-place nursery unit for mentally subnormal infants.
Regrettably, however, in Ministry of Health letter dated 17th March, 1967, the
Minister did not recommend loan sanction for the first of these projects which was
scheduled for the year 1968.
The standard of accommodation in the council's day nursery conforms, as far
as the structural limitations of the building and site area allow, to that recommended
by the Ministry of Health.
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