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3
Health Visiting and Domiciliary Nursing and Midwifery Services
Collaboration between the local hospital nursing staff
and community nursing staff has increased and it is hoped will
continue to increase, especially in view of the coming reorganisation
of the National Health Service in a little over
one year's time.
Health Education
This continued along similar lines to previous years.
There was considerable activity as regards dental health education.
March was dental health month and there were special poster and
pamphlet displays at clinics. The 'Apples for Schools' scheme
continued and a special campaign involving dental hygiene kits,
films and talks, was directed at five year old children.
Family Planning
This was provided for the borough on an agency basis by
the Family Planning Association. Premises were made available free
of charge and full reimbursement was made for all women treated on
medical or social grounds. The numbers of sessions, patients and
attendances were all higher than the corresponding numbers for the
previous year.
Venereal Diseases
There has been a rapid increase in the numbers of persons
treated over the past five years as is shown by the following totals:
1968 107
1969 192
1970 111
1971 319
1972 382
As the figures are sent in only by those centres where
Borough residents have attended for treatment, they are not 100 per
cent reliable but there can be little doubt that the numbers are
increasing. Doubtless the main reason is increased promiscuity,
but it is hoped that greater willingness to obtain treatment and
better follow up of contacts have also contributed. Such treatment
is always provided in circumstances of complete confidentiality.