[Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Durham County Palatine / County Council.

  • Durham (England : County). Council.
Date:
1968
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1968] / Medical Officer of Health, Durham County Palatine / County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/128 (page 26)
    Screening Tests for Phenylketonuria. 17,907 tests for phenylketonuria were carried out. In previous years one test was carried out, except in doubtful cases, but during the latter part of this year two tests were done at approximately two weeks and four weeks. Some of the children born in hospital were tested with the Guthrie test. One case of phenyl- ketonuria was admitted to hospital for further investigation under the care of a Consultant Paediatrician, one case was transferred into the County and is continuing treatment, and two cases proved to be negative after tests in hospital. Detection of Hearing Defects in Young Children. Screening tests of hearing were carried out during the year on children from seven months to five years at the child welfare centres and occasionally in the home, all children in this age group being eligible for testing. Immunisation and Vaccination. Advice continued to be given on the immunisation and vaccination of children under five years, the computer being used initially in one area to store information for all births from January, 1967, and to make appointments at the child welfare clinics or the general practitioner surgeries. Heaf testing for tuberculosis infection and follow-up of positive school entrants continued during the year. Health visitors continued to carry out and assist in the immunisation and vaccination of older groups. Tuberculosis. Close liaison with the chest physicians was maintained. Health visitors continued to advise tubercu- lous cases and their families in their own homes. Contacts were advised regarding the spread of infection, and advice was given to domestic helps working with these families. Health visitors continued tuberculin testing in chest clinics, schools and in homes in the Durham and Felling areas. The Mentally Subnormal. Advice was given to the mentally subnormal and their families in their own homes. Co-operation continued with the mental welfare officers and in some cases work was undertaken together. Health Visitor and General Practitioner Liaison Scheme. Health visitors made further efforts to increase the liaison with general practitioners, although no complete “ attachments ” were arranged. There was an increase in the number of health visitors visiting general practitioners regarding cases of mutual interest, particularly in the case of general care and manage- ment of the under five, the aged and infirm and in community care after discharge from hospital. Hospital Follow-up. Health visitors continued to co-operate with hospital medical staff and medical social workers. Cases were investigated prior to and following hospital discharge, advice being given on all aspects of community care. Investigations continued in cases for admission to maternity hospitals on social grounds. The Aged. The aged were visited at home according to need, the health visitors co-operating both with statutory and voluntary bodies in keeping the aged healthy, mobile and socially involved. Co-operation continued with medical social workers and general practitioners.