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51
Venereal Disease
Responsibility for the treatment of venereal disease is vested in the
Regional Hospital Boards. Facilities are made available at various
hospitals in the region. Patients from the Borough tend to use the clinics
provided at the Central Middlesex and Hillingdon Hospitals although some
make use of treatment facilities provided by London teaching hospitals.
The special services medical social worker shared with the Borough
of Brent continued to assist in the follow-up of defaulters in treatment at
Central Middlesex Hospital and, in addition, was also concerned with
contact tracing and assisting patients with their social problems.
The subject of venereal disease has always been included as part of
the health education programme offered to secondary school children in
the Borough. However, in view of the general tendency to an increased
incidence of sexually transmitted disease, special efforts were made by the
Health Education Officer and the health visiting staff during the year to
expand these health and hygiene lectures to schools. The subject of
venereal diseases is not treated in isolation but is incorporated as part of a
general course on personal health and human relationships.
Home Help Service
This service was again heavily committed during the year providing
assistance in the home for a total of 1,791 cases. Again the heaviest
demand came from the elderly but cases of home confinement and acute
illness of the mother with a young family receive special priority.
During the course of the year, it became evident that a large number
of cases were only receiving partial help and yet the demand for the service
still continued to grow. Partial help is really inadequate for people living
alone and, as a result, a report was submitted to the Council advising
about the situation, which had developed. As a result, it was agreed that a
further 20 full-time home helps would be provided for the service from
the 1st April 1971. This will give a labour force of the equivalent of 120
home helps, which is 0-57 per thousand of population.