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Enquiries on general matters :
Telephone 01-928 5000, extension 8933, or write to the Chief Ambulance
Officer, London Ambulance Service Headquarters, 150 Waterloo Road,
S.E.I.
The foregoing information was provided by Dr. A. B. Stewart, Medical Adviser
to the Greater London Council, and by Mr. W. E. Cooke, Chief Ambulance Officer,
to both of whom I record my thanks.
PREVENTION OF ILLNESS, CARE AND AFTER-CARE
Under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, a local health
authority may make arrangements for the purpose of the prevention of illness, for
the care of persons suffering from illness, and the after-care of such persons. Proposals
adopted by the council cover a wide variety of services. Mental health
services provided under the Mental Health Act, 1959, are subject to provisions of
this section and are dealt with in a later section of this Report.
TUBERCULOSIS
Arrangements for the provision of this service are shared between the council
and the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board and are now based on
the Edmonton Chest Clinic, situated at the North Middlesex Hospital. The chest
physician, who supervises the work of the four tuberculosis health visitors employed
by the council, is responsible not only for all matters concerning diagnosis and
treatment but also for the local health authority care and after-care services. A
change in arrangements during the year was the closure, at the end of August, of
Finchley Chest Clinic, in the London Borough of Barnet, which formerly served
those living in Southgate. The Edmonton Chest Clinic now serves the whole of
the London Borough of Enfield.
The number of deaths from tuberculosis during the year was seven, of which
six were due to pulmonary tuberculosis.
During the year 4,615 persons attended the chest clinic for the first time and
were investigated for various chest conditions.
Of these new patients 206 were cases of suspected respiratory tuberculosis
and 331 were their personal contacts. Fifty-nine of the suspected cases were confirmed
and notified while the remainder are still under observation. Two cases of
respiratory tuberculosis were found among the contacts.
Thirty-three cases of respiratory tuberculosis required treatment in hospital.
Eleven cases of non-respiratory tuberculosis were notified.
At the end of the year there were 2,114 patients on the tuberculosis register.
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