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PERSONAL HEALTH
to take to hospital a child suffering from a burn or scald. In the course of the year three such
instances were notified. In all cases a health visitor calls on the parents and discusses with them
precautions to prevent recurrence.
Family planning
The provision of family planning services for Enfield residents on an agency basis by the Family
Planning Association continued during 1972. Free consultation for all cases and free supplies for
medical cases are provided at clinics. A free domiciliary service is available for medical cases unable to
use the clinic service.
In October the Council agreed to .the provision by the Brook Advisory Centres of family planning
services on an agency basis for Enfield residents. This organisation's service is orientated towards the
younger age groups.
Under the provisions of the National Health Service (Family Planning) Amendment Act 1972, the
Council decided to provide through the Family Planning Association in 1973 a vasectomy service on
the same basis as that for contraceptive services already provided by the Council.
Children in care
There are in the borough two residential nurseries under the control of the Social Services Department
and providing places for 28 children. By arrangement with the Director of Social Services, each
child is medically examined by the Council's medical officer on admission, after every three months
(every month if under one year of age), and on discharge. Dental care and immunisation are also
arranged by the Health Department. In the ordinary way, general medical services are provided by
general medical practitioners.
Children placed with foster parents are given statutory, supervisory and general medical care by
general medical practitioners, but in some cases the statutory medical examination and the examinations
for certificates of freedom from infection are carried out by the Council's medical officers.
Co-ordination of
personal services
The co-ordinating committee, consisting of officers from the Town Clerk's, Health, Social Services,
Housing and Education Departments, continued to meet during the year. Case conferences were held
at regular intervals, and ad hoc meetings arranged at short notice to consider urgent cases.
Problem families
Fourteen new families were added to the register of "problem families" during the year.
Twenty cases from the register were discussed at conferences attended by officers from the departments
concerned. Ten families were receiving continuing supportive care at the end of the year. Three
families were rehoused. The immediate problems of the remaining seven families were dealt with and
a review of their cases arranged as necessary.
Population screening
for carcinoma of the
cervix of the uterus
The routine testing of women for carcinoma of the cervix of the uterus continued during 1972 at
ante-natal sessions and at special clinic sessions held for these tests only. Repeat tests are offered at
five-yearly intervals as recommended by the Department of Health and Social Security. Statistics
relating to this service are given in the relevant table.
See Tables (8), (9), (10), (11), (12) and (13)
Section 10
Health Services
and Public Health
Act 1968
Midwifery
Section 10 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 requires every local health authority to
provide a domiciliary midwifery service. The Section also provides for greater flexibility in the
deployment of midwives; promotes greater co-operation between the local health authority midwifery
service and general medical practice; provides for reciprocal arrangements between one local health
authority and another and similarly between a local health authority and a hospital authority.
In February reciprocal arrangements were made with Hertfordshire County Council for midwives of
either authority to cross the Hertfordshire/Enfield border to attend patients who are booked with
midwives attached to general practitioner group practices.
Midwives Act 1951
The local health authority is also the local supervising authority for the purposes of the Midwives Act
1951.
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