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15
Home Visiting
At the end of the year four tuberculosis visitors were employed. Although their prime function is
visiting patients' homes to advise on methods to overcome the spread of infection, to explain care and after
care facilities and to closely supervise all known contacts, they also have duties at the Chest Clinic, including
acting as Clinic Sister during diagnosis and treatment sessions. Home visits during the year totalled 1,457, of
which 228 were to households proving to be non-tuberculous.
VENEREAL DISEASE
Responsibility for the treatment of venereal disease rests with Regional Hospital Boards. Local
health authorities, however, co-operate with the venereal disease Treatment Centres as regards following up
persons under treatment or known or believed to be sources of infection. In this connection, the Council's
Medical Social Worker attended the venereal disease clinic at the Central Middlesex Hospital and her services
were utilised for the purpose of tracing contacts, following up defaulters, and assisting patients attending the
clinic in meeting any social problems with which they were faced. The majority of Brent residents attended
Central Middlesex Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital, W.2., but to preserve anonymity some patients present
themselves at clinics far removed from their homes.
The disease is not notifiable, but the number of new cases attending for treatment at various
Centres in 1969 is shown in Table 17. The incidence of the disease continues to cause concern.