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PART II
PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL
Co-ordination and Co-operation with Hospital and Family Doctor
The Health Service now moves towards the unification of the tripartite organisation with the anticipated
establishment of the Area Health Authorities in 1974. We must work towards this evolution in an attempt
to visualise the new concept of community physician.
The Health Departments of the Local Authorities have over many years evolved a very highly efficient approach
to epidemiology and it is to be hoped that some of these practices can be adapted to the needs of the new Area
Health Authorities. In Haringey we have been particularly fortunate in a long and useful association with the
hospital services in the specialties of chest disease, paediatrics, infectious and venereal diseases. Elsewhere in
the report reference is made to our more recent involvement with the dermatologist to establish a warts clinic,
with a haematologist to ensure safer dental anaesthesia in children with sickle cell anaemia, and with a surgeon
in a long-term research project into the problem of breast cancer.
In our links with general practice the outward sign of growth and co-operation can be seen in the Health Centre
at Stuart Crescent where staff of both share the same roof to develop together a more comprehensive service to
the communities in which they work. The Health Department's weekly bulletin has been a useful vehicle of
communication with general practitioners. Primarily a communication for information on infectious disease
it has developed into a many-sided publication dealing with a variety of problems, and a useful section about
medical meetings and hospitals has helped to give an effective boost to the attendance at academic centres and
so improve the links between general practitioner and consultant. Appreciation of the bulletin would appear to
be indicated in that requests are made for it from many authorities from the Elephant and Castle downwards.
Indeed, publications of this kind may have a vital part to play in the improvement of the services provided by
future Area Health Authorities.
During the year arrangements were made for different groups of general practitioners to meet up with their
associated nursing teams together with other staff of the Health Department and at these meetings a variety
of problems were considered.
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
Notification of Births
Live Births (a) Domiciliary 332
(b) Hospital or Nursing Home 4,056
Still Births (a) Domiciliary 3
(b) Hospital or Nursing Home 47
Total 4,438
Family Planning
From August 1970 the Borough agreed to pay the consultation and advice fee for all clients. Per capita fees
were agreed with the Family Planning Association for two types of case — priority cases in certain medical
and social categories, the Council paying consultation and advice fee and necessary supplies of contraceptives;
and non-priority, the Council paying consultation and advice fee only. The number of cases for whom responsibility
was accepted under these arrangements to the end of the year were — priority cases 131; non-priority
cases 1,101.
The number of priority cases dealt with under previous arrangements, up to July 1970, was 184.
The domiciliary scheme continued to function as previously and 203 cases were dealt with by this service in 1970.
In October the Family Planning Association opened an additional I.U.D. Clinic at Hornsey Central Hospital,
and there are now 11 % weekly family planning clinic sessions held in the Borough.
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