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home nurse. The beds are hired from the suppliers and 98 such loans
were made in the year. The demand for this service continues to
increase.
Sick Room Equipment
There are three Medical Loan Depots, one each in Merton,
Mitcham and Wimbledon. Loans of medical equipment are made to
residents in the Borough on request from the family doctor or from
a home nurse. Owing to the heavy demand loans are reviewed every
three months.
The depots are staffed on a voluntary basis by members of the
British Red Cross Society to whom thanks are due for the maintenance
of a most essential service.

Recuperative Holidays
Under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act 1946, the
Authority is empowered to provide a recuperative holiday for persons
needing it to complete or assist in their recovery to normal health,
but who do not need organised medical or nursing care.
A recommendation from a medical practitioner is necessary. A
number of Homes in Surrey and on the south-east coast are used, the
holiday being usually for two weeks. Forty-eight such holidays were
arranged in the year.
Cervical Cytology
The Cytopathology Unit at St. Helier Hospital is able to deal
adequately with the Borough's requirements.
It is necessary, from time to time, to have a campaign to ensure
that all women are aware of the facilities. It is particularly necessary
to endeavour to deal with women in the lower income groups, where
the prevalence of cervical cancer may be higher.
In all, 1,189 new cases were dealt with and 2,549 repeat smears
were taken.
From the total of 3,738 smears taken during 1970, 15 required
further investigation for possible malignancy. These patients were
referred to their own doctors for follow-up or gynaecological review.
In addition many patients were referred to their doctors for treatment
of infection by trichinomas, monilia and other organisms, also for
other defects found on cervical examination.
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