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For other illnesses, infectious diseases, etc.:
Application will usually be made by the hospital concerned, or by a doctor
through the Emergency Bed Service.
Maternity patients not booked at a hospital should call a doctor or midwife.
For booked patients, dial "999", ask for ambulance and, when connected,
give name and address and state the hospital at which the patient is booked
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.1.
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 for 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. The relevant sections
of both Acts were consolidated, with amendments, by the Health Services and Public
Health Act, 1968.
TUBERCULOSIS
Arrangements for the provision of this service are shared between the Council
and the North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board and, since the closure
of the Finchley Chest Clinic in 1967, are based on the Edmonton Chest Clinic,
situated at the North Middlesex Hospital. 1968 was the first full year wherein the
chest service for the whole of the London Borough of Enfield was provided at the
Edmonton Chest Clinic. Dr. Vernon Davies, to whom I am indebted for the
detailed information given in this part of the report, and Dr. R. H. Elphinstone,
continued to be responsible for the consultant work for the Edmonton and Enfield
areas and Dr. E. N. O'Brien took up a part-time appointment as Consultant Chest
Physician for the Southgate area.
The chest physician, who supervises the work of the 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.
The chest clinic service provides facilities for investigation and treatment of all
forms of chest disease. With the smaller amount of work necessary to deal with
tuberculosis nowadays, more time is given to other chest diseases, particularly
bronchitis, asthma, and carcinoma of the lung.
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