London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1972
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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The arrangement by which the Mothers' Hospital provide domiciliary
service on an agency basis continues.
All the home confinements were booked with general medical practitioners.
By the end of the year, agreement had been reached with the Regional
Hospital Board to make beds available at the Mothers' Hospital for use by
General Practitioner Obstetricians.
185 State Certified Midwives notified this Council, as the local
supervising authority, of their intention to practice in the area during
1972, and the obligatory courses attend where appropriate.
CERVICAL CYTOLOGY
Mobile Cytology Unit
Following the visits in 1969 and 1970 of the mobile unit, the Health
Committee decided that this should in future be an annual event and the
mobile cytology unit lent by the Women's National Cancer Control Campaign
revisited the borough in 1971 and 1972. The visit in 1972 was for a 4 week
period in July and August. Afternoon and evening sessions were held.
Posters, leaflets and handbills were produced and, as in previous years, a
press release was issued. House to house distribution of leaflets was
arranged by the Public Relations Officer and various clubs and factories
were circularised to display relevant literature. All general practitioners
in the borough were notified of the visit.
In response to requests from areas that had previously not received a
visit from the Caravan, two sites - in shoreditch and S. E. Hackney - were
chosen to receive a visit this year. These were in the housing estate at
Geffrye Court and the grounds of TocH, Church Crescent. The other two sites,
Hackney Town Hall forecourt and St. Paul's Church forecourt, Evering Road,
remained unchanged because of good attendances in previous years.
A comparison of attendances with previous years is shorn below:-
| year | Attendance | L ength of Visi t | Average Weekly Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 475 | 4 weeks | 119 |
| 1971 | 491 | 4 weeks | 123 |
| 1970 | 397 | 5 weeks | 79 |
| 1969 | 1,064 | 9 weeks | 118 |
It certainly seems that the Mobile Unit receives the highest attendances
when sited in a position prominent to pedestrians, who often respond as a
result of noticing the unit while passing. The Toc H, Church Crescent site
attendances were very disappointing and it is felt that the unit may well
be better placed in a busier part of South East Hackney in future.