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ORTHOPAEDIC CLINIC.
During the year 1952 there has been no appreciable lessening
of attendances at the Ealing Orthopaedic Clinic. The number of
new cases of school age examined is the same as in 1951—i.e. 152,
although the number of re-attendances during the year was 53 less
(520 and 573). During 1952 there was a small drop in the number
of attendances for physiotherapy and this may have been due to the
absence of one of the Physiotherapists (Mrs. Parish) on account of
illness, as both parents and children always take a little while to get
used to a change of physiotherapist or surgeon.
Quite a considerable number under school age are referred from
the Welfare Clinics—97 in 1952 as compared with 89 in 1951 and in
the past year 1,314 attendances were made for physiotherapy
compared with 1,350 in 1951. Here again the temporary change
in physiotherapist during Mrs. Parish's illness will have had its effect.
The Council's Orthopaedic Clinic fills a very real need, partly
as a Consultative Clinic and partly as an Orthopaedic Treatment
Centre. Treatment is now given in various Health Clinics, particularly
in the more recently developed and outlying parts of the
Borough so reducing the loss of school hours to the minimum and
the number of hours which parents would have to spend in journeying
to and from hospital out-patient departments. This latter is
particularly important in the case of small children and babies and
is much appreciated by the mothers of small babies on account of
travelling and feeding difficulties.