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Carcinoma in situ was confirmed in six of the
seven women with positive smears and Stage I
carcinoma cervix in the seventh Three of the
patients had a cone biopsy and four had a
hysterectomy All were aged between 41 and 51
years.
The following table shows the number of cases
referred to family doctors with gynaecological and
other conditions
Trichomonas 26
Monilia 10
Laucoplakia 2
Vaginal cyst 8
Fibroids 5
Prolapse
Erosion of the cervix 32
Cervical polyp 25
Other gynaecological conditions 35
Breast conditions 8
Reasons other than those stated above 4
Total 155
Adaptations of homes to install artificial kidney
machines
Ministry of Health circular 2,68 described the
increasing use of artificial kidney machines in
patients homes in the treatment of chronic renal
failure The treatment involves new and difficult
techniques and whether it is undertaken in
hospital or in the home it has to be based on
hospitals with full supporting facilities This
form of domiciliary treatment is being developed
as rapidly as possible and the circular offered
guidance to local authorities on the measures they
can take to assist patients for whom hospitals
are able to provide this treatment in the home
Hospital authorities will provide and maintain
the intermittent dialysis equipment and will
provide the relevant medical services They will
also pay for the extra cost of electricity and for
the installation and rental of a telephone where
36
this is necessary They have not however powers
to make adaptations to the home
A patient being treated in this way will need a
room with space for a single bed the dialysis equip
ment and a sink with a good supply of water- the walls
and ceiling of the room should be made crack free and
washable and the floor covering should be waterproof
Special storage space for one month s supply of
sterile dressings and of containers of concentrated
fluids is required and possibly special electrical
wiring and plumbing
The Minister has issued general approval for the
making of arrangements for these purposes by all
local authorities under Section 28 of the National
Health Service Act 1946 and the making by the
council of such charges if any for this service as
the council considers reasonable having regard to
the means of any such person
No requests for home adaptations to enable
patients to transfer to home dialysis were received
during the year
Care of Mothers and Young Children Section 22
Ante natal clinics
Ante natal care is concerned with the health of
pregnant women and the diagnosis and treatment of
disorders and diseases of pregnancy. The local
authority has a duty to provide ante natal clinics
but increasingly family doctors are providing these
for their own patients so that attendances at local
authority clinics are diminishing not only locally but
nationally. Not many general practitioners however
provide clinics for mothercraft and relaxation and
this educational side of ante natal work in local
authority clinics is greatly appreciated by expectant
mothers though it is an aspect difficult to satisfy
without teamwork in clinic premises With the advent
of health centres it is envisaged that family doctors
will more closely be associated with all aspects of
ante natal care and that hospital doctors will also
come out to clinics to see ante natal patients as is
already happening in the Brentford Health Centre
Two hundred and six medical officer sessions were
held this year the attendances at which totalled 968
One hundred and forty three sessions with a midwife
only in attendance were held the attendances at
which totalled 659
Attendances at the mothercraft and relaxation
clinics numbered 2458. 217 fewer than last year
Only 46 mothers took advantage of the countil s
facilities for post natal examinations
Many patients booked for confinement in hospital
are supervised only in the middle months of pregnancy