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7
tragedies can be avoided. Apart from family planning this clinic often
reveals many problems of a deeper nature that are worrying young people. The
clinic gives to some of them a much needed opportunity for a frank discussion
on all aspects of sex with someone in a position of authority.
The beginning of the year had unfortunately shown a decline in numbers
attending clinics for cervical cytology screening: in view of this the offer
by the Women's National Cancer Control Campaign to provide a mobile caravan
to undertake cervical cytology was accepted with alacrity. Hackney was the
first to use the caravan for a properly advertised and lengthy campaign. The
campaign, of which more details are contained in the Report, was a brilliant
success. The details have been written up in various professional journals,
and the Women's National Cancer Control Campaign were delighted with this
initial success. The caravan is booked for a further campaign in 1970 and, in
fact, was in service whilst this Report was being written.
During the year much emphasis was laid on expanding playgroups within
the borough for children between 3 and 5 years of age. To encourage further
playgroups to be set up the Council itself gave a lead by making provision for
a nucleus of staff to set up its own playgroups at suitable premises. During
the year two such playgroups were opened and another one is contemplated.
Meetings were held between the Health Department and various interested
bodies and as a result there has been a quickening of interest in setting
up playgroups.
Following on the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1^68, greater
efforts were made to secure the registration of child-minders. Progress has
been made but it has proved a difficult task and I think it is only fair to
say that many children are still minded unofficially.
Immunisation continued to be carried out throughout the year, but measles
vaccination was considerably reduced after March because one of the vaccines
used was found to be giving severe reactions. It is perhaps a pity that there
is not some way of notifying all medium to severe reactions to vaccines so
that a vaccine could be stopped at the earliest date possible. This would, of
course, involve general practitioners - still the people who most often have
to deal with the reaction that vaccines cause.
By the end of the year, after a very long period of gestation, the
negotiations on the Somerford Grove Health Centre appeared to be complete and
the first sod for building was cut in February, 1970. When it is complete
Somerford Grove Health Centre will be the first new health centre in the
borough for 20 years.
The mental health services continued throughout the year, but the year
was one of consolidation rather than expansion.
The Report again embodies a section on the work of the School Health
Service and the School Dental Service. Advances were made in providing dental
services for the mentally handicapped children: this is not strictly part of
the school dental service but is a very essential service because some of
these children are particularly liable to dental decay and often present
difficulties to the dentist in general practice. The results have been
most rewarding.
The major epidemic of the year was a flu epidemic which started in
December. The previous year there had been much publicity for an epidemic
which never materialized, but in 1969 the epidemic was in being without any
prior warning. The illness was a particularly unpleasant one. The mortality
particularly in old people was comparatively high. Sufferers from the
disease felt very ill and continued to feel debilitated, often with an
unpleasant dry cough, for several weeks, and in some cases even months after
the actual attack.