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CLiNIC CENTRES
There are six clinic centres in the borough, 3 school treatment centres and 7
combined clinic and school treatment centres. Clinic auxiliaries continued during the year
to carry out various tasks in the clinic centres, thereby affording more time to the
health visiting and nursing staffs to cope with their professional duties.
Services provided at each of the Centres are given on pages 90 and 91.
CRECHES
Children can be placed in creches for an afternoon at eight of the clinic centres
by mothers who wish to attend the mothers' club or sewing class at the centre, or who
have hospital appointments. Creches also provide facilities for motheistobe relieved of
their children for 2 or 3 hours during the day and provide an opportunity for an only
child to associate with other children of the same age.
No charge is made where the mother is attending a centre activity, but a charge is
made of 9p per session if the mother wishes to leave her child whilst she attends to
shopping or other domestic duties.
ASSESSMENT CLINIC
Almost five years ago a combined local authority and hospital assessment clinic was
set up for the diagnosis and continuing assessment of infants and children suspected of
having a delay in development.
The Assessment Clinic is based at the London Hospital Children's Outpatients
Department, where a clinic for children with cerebral palsy was already in existence.
The clinic functions on one day a week, and although it serves mainly Tower Hamlets,
children from neighbouring boroughs are also seen.
Children continue to be referred mainly by local authority medical officers,
following agreement with the family doctor, and by consultant paediatricians from
other hospitals in the borough as more doctors, health visitors and social workers
concerned in the care of children realise the value of early assessment, treatment and
training of not only physically and mentally handicapped children, but also those children
who have a delay in language development due to emotional problems and adverse
social and environmental conditions.
The staff of the Assessment Clinic consists of a Consultant Paediatrician, aPrincipal
Medical Officer of the Health Department, a Psychologist, two Physiotherapists, an
Occupational Therapist, a Speech Therapist, a Medical Social Worker, aHealth Visitor and
a Nursing Sister. A Social Worker from the Social Services Department was seconded to
the Clinic for some time.
Apart from the diagnostic assessments, follow up assessments are made to ensure
comprehensive continuing care which includes parent guidance, counselling and integration
of care and supervision provided by the professional staff concerned.
A child with a physical handicap, e.g. cerebral palsy, and his/her parents, receive
any necessary help and supervision by the Physiotherapists and Occupational Hierapist, who
also obtain special equipment or app1iancesconsidered necessary forthechild. Referral to
other departments of the hospital is made for the investigation and treatment of other
problems, e.g. dental caries squints, hearing loss and orthopaedic problems.
The Principal Medical Officer and the Health Visitor co-ordinate the work of the
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