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courses were held and arrangements made for another longer course to
be held in January 1968.
Further requests were received from general practitioners
for attachment of or liaison with health visitors, district nurses and
midwives, and by the end of the year the numbers of such attachments
were 3 midwives, 3 district nurses and 5 health visitors. During the
year a group of practitioners enquired about the possibility of the
Manor Drive Clinic being converted to a health centre, and it is hoped
to establish one with this group of four family doctors.
The borough's first health clinic for the elderly started in
January in Acre Road clinic and a second in November at Manor Drive
clinic. One health visitor worked full time as a geriatric health
visitor throughout the year, additional to the one attaehed to the
geriatrician at Kingston Hospital and shared with Surrey County Council
and the London Borough of Richmond. I am grateful to Dr. Wills, whose
keenness and energies were largely responsible for establishing these
clinics.
Owing to laboratory facilities for cervical cytology being
extended to the borough, it was possible to start a limited service for
well women at four of the borough clinics during the year.
The home help service continued well below the minimum establishment
necessary to meet the needs of the borough, and this state is
likely to continue in an area with so much part time work available in
light industry in a period of full employment.
The number of treatments under the chiropody service again
showed a sizeable increase and this service is valuable in helping to
keep the elderly active.
Mental Health Service
The mental health service continued to function in close
co-operation with the psychiatric services at Long Grove, Brookwood and
Kingston Hospitals. The day centre for the mentally ill was started in
temporary premises towards the end of the year, from which valuable
experience for the future will be gained. A club previously functioning
in clinic premises also transferred to this centre.
An expansion of the special care unit and the erection of a
prefabricated workshop in the grounds of Kingston Training Centre,
together with other alterations were started at the end of the year and
will help relieve the overcrowding.