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35
Family Planning
The scheme continued whereby patients attending any of the
9 local F.P.A. Clinics had their fees and supplies paid for by the
Borough if this was needed on medical grounds, i.e. where health
would suffer by the increased mental, physical or social burden of
a pregnancy.
All 428 patients referred were helped in this way.
Liaison with Local Hospitals continues with Maternity and
Cytology Liaison Committees. One Medical Officer regularly
attends the Phoenix Centre at Farnborough Hospital. There is a
Health Visitor attending the Paediatric Outpatients Department at
Sydenham and Farnborough, and another is attached to the
Lennard Hospital Geriatric Day Unit. The District Nursing
Sisters visit the Lennard Hospital and surgical wards to see
patients prior to discharge home and into their care. The Midwives
continue to assess the suitability of patients' homes for
early discharge from hospital after a confinement. The Senior
Medical Officers give talks and lectures on aspects of community
health to pupils and students when requested to do so.
Chiropody
This Authority provided service to 5,382 persons over the
age of 60 years, 137 physically handicapped or disabled persons
and 4 expectant mothers. The total treatment figures consist
of:—
7,150 treatments given in Borough Clinics
12,125 patients received treatment in their own home
2,178 treatments were given in the 9 Borough residential
homes
9,924 treatments were given to Borough patients in
private chiropodists' surgeries
Grand
Total 31,377 treatments
If the total number of treatments given during 1971 is
compared with 1970, it will be seen that there has been an increase
of 21 per cent in the number of treatments.
In spite of a chronic national shortage of chiropodists, an
additional Senior Chiropodist was engaged bringing the total full
time staff number to 3. 9 sessional and 25 contractual chiropodists
were also employed.
A 6th Chiropody clinic was opened at the Hawes Down
School Clinic in West Wickham and plans were made for a new
clinic within the Bertha James Day Centre.
A start was made during 1971 in providing some selected