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35
Liaison with Group Practices
A health visitor joined a group practice working in the Edgware
district of the Borough on the 3rd March, 1967. She is attending once a
week when the general practitioner has a baby clinic. This is most valuable
for the patients as cases can be discussed with the general practitioner
and the health visitor and no conflicting advice can occur. In this weekly
meeting other cases in the area are brought to the notice of the health
visitor and followed up—mainly concerning the care of geriatric patients
in this area.
Liaison Schemes with Hospitals
A health visitor has continued to attend the Paediatric Clinic at
Edgware General Hospital and is informed of any difficulties in the
progress and re-habilitation of patients in the care of hospitals and local
authorities. This continues to be valuable to both services.
The liaison scheme for the elderly between Roxbourne Hospital and
a member of the health visiting team has continued for a further year.
The liaison scheme with Kingsbury Maternity Hospital has continued.
Two health visitors attend for a series of four weeks' lectures at the "At
Risk" Clinic conducted at the Paediatric Department of the Charing Cross
Hospital Group. A rota system has been worked out and all health
visitors attend during the year.
The working relationship between Hospital and Health Department
is a most useful one for both sides and a better service to the patients can
be given with such a close link.
Research Projects
In conjunction with general practitioners, the Department has been
co-operating with the Public Health Laboratory at Colindale in a survey
to investigate the serotypes currently responsible for cases of whooping
cough and also to study the relation between serotypes isolated from
patients and those present in current vaccines.
Pernasal swabs were taken of suspected cases of whooping cough
reported to the Health Department by general practitioners, Pre-school
contacts of the suspected cases were also swabbed. These swabs were passed
to the Public Health Laboratory at Colindale for the necessary investigations.
High nasal swabs had to be obtained and it was important to take
these swabs as soon as possible after notification by the general practitioner
and preferably before any antibiotic treatment had been started.
Close liaison between the research team and the health visitors has been
possible and helpful.