View report page

PERSONAL HEALTH
Venereal disease
There is no special clinic in the borough. It would, however, appear that most patients attend the
Prince of Wales's Hospital in Tottenham. In their efforts to preserve anonymity, some patients tend
to present themselves at clinics far removed from their home district, but figures of incidence are
available from London hospitals in respect of Enfield patients. Details of attendances at these clinics
during 1972 are given in the relevant table.
This borough shares with a neighbouring borough the services of a medical social worker. She is based
at the special clinic at the Prince of Wales's Hospital, and her duties are to trace contacts, follow-up
treatment defaulters, and assist patients in meeting social problems.
Despite the efforts in health education over a number of years, the incidence of venereal disease
continues to cause anxiety. See Table (23).
Health advice
clinics for the
elderly
This service continued to be available at two premises in the borough but because of the low demand
only a few sessions were required during the year. Referrals are received from general practitioners,
health visitors and from other sources. The purpose of the service is to provide advice to retired
persons, or those about to retire. It includes advice on health, diet, environmental aspects, and pasttimes,
as well as a check on vision, hearing, haemoglobin, blood glucose and weight. The service is
carried out in relation to other local authority facilities such as the Health Department's chiropody
service and the facilities provided by the Social Services Department. The sessions are staffed by one
of the Council's medical officers and a health visitor or clinic nurse. In each case a medical report is
sent to the patient's family doctor.
Hypothermia
A reminder was again issued at the beginning of the winter to general medical practitioners, medical
and nursing staff, public health inspectors and social workers regarding the measures which would help
to prevent accidental hypothermia, with particular reference to the elderly. Details were given of the
practical help available from voluntary and statutory agencies. No instances of morbidity or mortality
due to hypothermia were reported.
Smokers advice
clinic
Sessions were held at Bowes Road Clinic, Southbury Road Clinic, and the Health Centre, Forest
Road. The Health Centre sessions had a better attendance than those at the two clinics.
During 1972 a total of 43 men and 47 women attended, of whom thirteen men and fifteen women
stopped smoking while attending the course.
During the year, a survey was made of men and women who had attended the smokers' advice
clinic during 1970 and 1971, and who completed questionnaires on their first visit to the clinic, and
again a year after their attendance. Fifty men and 36 women fulfilled these criteria. Nineteen (38%) of
the men, and thirteen (36%) of the women were non-smokers one year after attending the clinic.
An attempt was made to correlate success in stopping smoking with the answers given on the original
questionnaire. No correlation was found between success in stopping smoking and age, years of
smoking, advice from the general practitioner, or irritability if deprived of a cigarette. However, a
correlation was found between success in stopping smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked a
day: 50% of those who previously smoked 1-10 cigarettes a day were not smoking at the end of a
year; 44% of those who previously smoked 11 - 20 cigarettes a day were not smoking at the end of a
year; 31% of those who previously smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day were not smoking at the end
of a year. The numbers involved were too small to be statistically significant but the investigation
will continue. Eleven (one-third) of those who stopped smoking said that it had been easier than
they expected. See Table (24).
Home dialysis
There is increasing use of home dialysis units in the treatment of chronic renal failure. Hospital
authorities provide and maintain the intermittent haemodialysis equipment, provide the relevant
medical services, pay for the extra cost of electricity and for the installation and rental of a telephone
where this is* necessary.
23