[Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Oxfordshire County Council.

Oxfordshire (England). County Council. n 81006935.

Date:: 1970

Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health, Oxfordshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

75/110 (page 67)

The figures for gonorrhoea in men are approximately those of the previous year. There has, however, been an 18% rise in the number of cases of gonorrhoea diagnosed amongst women patients. This is certainly partly attributable to improved contact tracing and it is hoped will be reflected in a fall in male gonorrhoea figures. 17% of the cases of gonorrhoea occurred in the 16-20 age group. 7.5% of male cases were found in this age group against 35% of female cases. At the other end of the scale 50% of male cases were in the over 25 age group against less than 25% of female. The sexually transmissable diseases other than gonorrhoea and syphilis continue to rise. The most important problem is the great increase in non-specific genital infection. Non specific urethritis alone has increased by 70% from 178 cases in 1969 to 295 in 1970, and has now over¬ taken gonorrhoea as the commonest cause of urethritis in male patients in Oxford. It is most important that doctors and patients realise that this is an infectious disease transmissable by sexual contact and that sexual partners do require examination, specialised investigation and treatment. In no other way can the present epidemic situation be controlled. The purchase of a new microscope and the provision of laboratory technicians has made diagnosis of many conditions possible at the first attendance. This is a great advantage to the patient, allowing specific treatment to be given, where necessary and reassurance of the anxious patient who has been exposed to risk. The policy of making attendance at the clinic as simple and pleasant as possible has continued. Whilst a strict confidentiality is maintained, attendance at the Special Treatment Clinics is as far as possible no more upsetting than attendance at any other Out-Patient Department. Indeed some patients arriving as contacts of infected patients or referred by their general practitioner, pass through the department without realising its true nature. The work of the Social Work Department is of particular importance in venereal disease. The patients include a high proportion of unhappy disturbed people whose attendance provides an opportunity to offer help. In addition many attend through no fault of their own but because of the promiscuity of a partner. The help and reassurance which the Medical Social Worker can give is of considerable value in preventing the breakdown of personal relationships which easily follows infection with a sexually transmissable disease. Undergraduate, nursing and midwifery education has continued but post-graduate attendance at the clinic has now been considerably limited by the presssure of work.” Mrs. B. J. Mercer, the Medical Social Worker has kindly let me have the following report: “In the year 1970, the Medical Social Worker has seen a total of 370 patients, comprising 265 females and 105 males. More female patients are seen because it is the policy of the doctors to refer many more of them for assessment and supportive casework. The majority of males however, are referred with a specific request for contact-tracing. It remains a source of regret that it is not possible to offer the same casework service to the male Clinic, mainly because of the vast difference in numbers. Also, because of the pressure of numbers, and the lack of time it is often not possible to see each patient more than once or twice at the most. This means that follow-up of some patients who may need it, is difficult to achieve, although it has been possible to refer a few on to other social workers in the community, or for psychiatric help.