View report page

Infectious Disease
The number of cases of smallpox reported to the World Health Organisation (64,989) represents
a further 23 2% increase on the figure for the preceding year. It is unfortunate that the total world
incidence of smallpox should have increased so dramatically in the last two years since the decision
by the Department of Health and Social Security that the routine vaccination of young children
against smallpox should be abandoned in this country. Nevertheless, although there was an increase
in the number of importations into non-endemic areas the number of countries in which the disease
was endemic was again reduced. There were no cases of smallpox identified at the health control
unit at London (Heathrow) Airport and there were a smaller number of suspected cases for which
the opinion of a smallpox consultant was required.
Venereal conditions were this year the most common form of infectious disease in the Borough,
and since the only known method of prevention seems now to be unacceptable to a significant
proportion of young people, preventive measures are difficult to suggest.
The number of cases of food poisoning showed an increase and represents an area where health
education programmes might be further improved. Nevertheless approaches to the food retail
industry in the Autumn with a view to providing courses in clean food handling produced a disappointing
response at least from the small trader.
By contrast the number of cases of measles (200) was the lowest since the Borough was
created.
Co-ordination and Co-operation
The extension of the clinic at Harefield to include accommodation for local general practitioners
was brought into operation and quickly demonstrated the tremendous advantages of health centre
arrangements. Building work on the first purpose built health centre was almost completed and that
on another commenced. A meeting arranged with the family doctors in Hayes was well attended and
led to general agreement with an existing group practice that a comprehensive health centre should
be developed on land adjoining the present surgery site.
The improvement in staffing of the community nursing service allowed the introduction of
several attachment schemes during the year, and by its close a total of 25 nurses were fully attached
to general practitioners. It was quickly evident that the anticipated benefits were indeed forthcoming
but the new arrangements were not without their own difficulties.
The appointment of Dr. W. H. G. Batham as Principal Medical Officer (Social Services) during
the year in succession to Dr. B. D. Westworth permitted even closer co-ordination of the mental
health services as the psychiatric unit at Hillingdon Hospital developed. Dr. Batham was created
an honorary clinical assistant permitting him to participate fully as a member of the hospital team.
Following changes in the arrangements for medical supervision at Hayes Park Hostel, Dr. Batham
was able to assume a much greater role in the rehabilitation of the psychiatrically disordered.
Although the health control unit is an important part of the department's work its geographical
separation makes full integration with the health services in the area difficult. Nevertheless during
the increase in work which occurred as the result of the arrival of large numbers of refugees from
Uganda, clinical medical officers engaged in the child health services provided the necessary
additional medical support out of normal working hours. In addition arrangements were completed
by kind permission of the consultant radiologist to allow the superintendent radiographer at the
health control unit to visit the department at Hillingdon Hospital to undertake a wider variety of
clinical work.
These developments emphasised the fact that present administrative divisions need not create
barriers to total health care.
Environmental Health Services
A small survey was undertaken amongst a defined population around London Airport and
compared with a similar enquiry amongst a group of residents in the north of the Borough. Although
there was evidence that the population around the airport were subjectively affected by noise, and
that they considered their health to be affected by it, there was absolutely no objective evidence
of any adverse health factors affecting this group rather than the other.
4