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15
Welfare.
The decline in the incidence of tuberculosis has had a marked effect upon the functions and duties
of welfare officers attached to chest clinics.
To a growing extent more and more patients suffering from non-tuberculosis chest diseases, such
as chronic bronchitis and lung cancer, are being seen by the physician, and are being referred to the welfare
officer, whose duties have become steadily more comparable to the general type of social-medical work undertaken
by hospital almoners. The medical-social work undertaken at the chest clinic is now integrated with
the hospital almoning service. It should be emphasised that this has not led to any loss by tuberculous
patients of the benefits they may receive from the authority's arrangements for their care and after care.
Rehabilitation through full-time training is provided by the Ministry of Labour at their training centres.
Occupational Therapy.
This is the first stage in the rehabilitation of the patient. Guidance and training is given to selected
patients, in their own homes, in a wide range of handicrafts. Classes are held at the Willesden Chest Clinic.
The decline in the number of tuberculous patients is naturally reflected in the work of the occupational
therapist and in addition to the service to patients in the Borough, he serves patients in the London Boroughs
of Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow. He also visits patients in the Hostel for Homeless Tuberculous Men at
Twickenham. There is an appropriate financial arrangement with these authorities.
Two hundred and forty-eight successful visits were made to patients' homes in Brent. There were
294 attendances at the Willesden Chest Clinic classes.
Vaccination against Tuberculosis.
The scheme provides for the vaccination with B.C.G. of individuals who are contacts of tuberculosis,
school children aged 13 or older, students attending universities, teachers' training colleges, technical
colleges or other establishments for further education.
The number of persons vaccinated during the year was 2,849.
For details of tuberculin testing of school children and school leavers, and B.C.G. vaccination of
school leavers, see report of Principal School Medical Officer, page 65.
VENEREAL DISEASES
With the coming into operation of the National Health Service Act 1946, responsibility for the
treatment of venereal disease was transferred to the Regional Hospital Boards.
The Council, however, continue to be concerned in co-operating with the work of the venereal disease
treatment clinics as regard following up persons under treatment or known or believed to be sources of infection.
In this connection, the Council's Medical Social Worker attended venereal disease clinics at the Central
Middlesex Hospital and her services were utilised for the purpose of tracing contacts and following up
defaulters. The Medical Social Worker, under the direction of the medical officers in charge of the venereal
disease clinic in Central Middlesex Hospital, assisted patients attending the clinics in meeting any social
problems with which they were faced.
It is impossible, in the absence of compulsory notification, to form any estimate of the real incidence
of venereal disease in the community, particularly since modern methods of antibiotic treatment and chemotherapy
can be undertaken by experienced general practitioners. No information as to numbers so treated
is available.