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Apprehension by the Minister of Health regarding co-ordination
of various services prompted the issue, during the year, of his
Circular 7/66 jointly with that of 9/66 from the Department of
Education and Science requesting information concerning the coordination
of the Borough's health and welfare services for the
handicapped with those of the I.L.EA.
Following a review of the Council's services and of the several
specially convened meetings at which all relevant bodies were
represented, a procedure for the co-ordination of services for handicapped
children in Greenwich was drawn up and copies forwarded
to the Minister and to the Secretary of State for Education and
Science respectively.
Details of the operation of the procedure are given below:—
A. The Risk Register
(1) From information provided by the birth notifications received
in the Department, an indication is obtained of children at risk of
developing a handicapping condition. These children are placed on a
Risk Register.
(2) Hospital and other medical and social information is regularly
sought about these children and their progress is reviewed by a
Senior Medical Officer and Assistant Nursing Officer.
(3) Children are not removed from this Register until there is no
doubt that their development is normal.
B. The Handicapped Register
(1) Children known to be handicapped at birth and those diagnosed
later as handicapped following observation on the Risk
Register and/or information received from hospitals are placed on
the Handicapped Register.
(2) Information is regularly obtained and recorded. The children's
medical and social progress is reviewed by a Senior Medical Assistant,
Assistant Nursing Officer and field staff.
(3) Health Visitors attend the local paediatric out-patient clinics
and add to the source of information regarding these children, as
well as providing hospital staff with information about the social
background of all local children attending the Paediatric Department.
*(4) The Divisional Education Officer is notified of those children
sufficiently handicapped that potentially they require special education.
It is hoped that this will enable future planning of educational
services to be met on a reasonably reliable estimate.
(5) Regular consultations take place between a Senior Medical
Officer, Assistant Nursing Officer and the Principal Mental Health
Officer in appropriate cases. The Principal Mental Health Officer is
brought into the picture as soon as a diagnosis of potential mental
handicap has been made.