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Inner London Boroughs, but a new salary scale was promulgated at that time and it was decided to
leave the matter in abeyance. It will remain to be seen whether the revised salary scale is sufficient to
attract dental surgery assistants to work for local authorities in the central area; but it cannot be
stressed too strongly that dental clinics cannot function to capacity without a complete dental team.
It is disappointing that dental decay should remain at a high level when dental services are so
easily available both from the local authority and the general dental services. It is refreshing to note
though that over the past four years there has been a decrease in the percentage found to require
treatment; in 1966 this was 76.2 whereas for 1969 it was 63.5. This 12% change might be showing the
success of our activities.
It is at first heartening to see (from the statistical tables at the end of this Report) that fewer
treatment sessions were devoted to the under 5's and expectant and nursing mothers, but when we
see that more older children were examined and that some 80% required treatment we see how big
is the problem which still confronts the dental officers.
It is hoped to start a dental health education programme for the under 12's in the spring of 1971
and that this will be an annual event within the schools; such a campaign would involve the
parents since the children would undoubtedly talk of it at home.
In May 1969 an additional dental surgery was brought into operation at the Westminster Treatment
Centre in Alderney Street, S.W.1. This surgery is fully equipped to the highest modern standards and
has proved to be a valuable addition to the local authority dental service.
The other dental clinics continue to be modernised and during the past twelve months two clinics
have had new bowl installations provided in the recovery rooms, in place of the former troughs.
The local authority dental service depends to a large extent on personnel other than in the dental
clinics and to these, and especially those members of the staff in the school health office, the Senior
Dental Officer extends his warmest thanks.
Statistics relating to the dental service for expectant and nursing mothers and children under 5,
and the school dental service, are set out in Tables 55 and 56, pages 97 and 98.
CHEST CLINICS
There are three Chest Clinics in Westminster situated at the following addresses:—
Paddington Chest Clinic, 14-18 Newton Road, W.2. (229 8821)
St. Marylebone Chest Clinic, Council House, Marylebone Road, N.W.1. (935 7766)
Westminster Hospital Chest Clinic ,St. John's Gardens, S.W.1. (828 8965)
I am indebted to the Consultant Physician at each of these Clinics for the following reports of their
activities during 1969:—
Paddington Chest Clinic—Dr. P. A. Zorab, Consultant Physician
We had a very busy year at this Chest Clinic and referrals from general practitioners increased
considerably.
Our regular contact clinics, B.C.G. clinics, X-ray only service, and following up tuberculin positive
school children, proved most helpful in our aim to eradicate tuberculosis.
Several new surveys are in the process of being carried out and postgraduate and nursing
teaching remains a regular feature of clinic work.
The Paddington Chest Clinic Care Committee have been most successful in their fund raising
efforts and this has enabled our social worker to help many patients where cases of hardship have
arisen through illness.
St. Marylebone Chest Clinic—Dr. G. Shneerson, Consultant Physician
The number of newly notified cases of tuberculosis, and deaths from cancer of the lung is essentially
the same as those in 1968.
The out-patient facilities for diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis and allied chest diseases
remain unchanged.