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146
Childminders
The registration of approved daily minders has been actively pursued and at the
end of the year 77 such women were caring for 62 children. This scheme is a useful
Day nurseries
addition to the day nursery service which, of course, continued to admit only those
children coming within the Council's priority groups. There were 111 children on
the priority waiting list at the end of the year.
Problem
families
Some concern has been felt about the best way of tackling the problem of the family
where difficulties in bringing up the children exist, or where questions of moral and
physical danger to the children may arise. As a result several conferences were held with
the area children's officer, the divisional education officer, the district organiser of
children's care work and the N.S.P.C.C. inspector, and plans have now been formulated
for a continuation and extension of this liaison, with special emphasis on the prevention,
wherever possible, of the development of a ' problem family '.
Division 6, comprising the boroughs of Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich.
Dr. F. R. Waldron reports :
Administration
Upon the appointment of a joint medical officer of health for Deptford and Greenwich,
the sub-offices in those two boroughs were combined, with consequential saving
of clerical staff.
Liaison
Among the methods used, the following deserve special mention: (i) The monthly
meetings with the borough medical officers of health have continued to facilitate the
day-to-day running of the personal health services; (ii) At both the British Hospital
for Mothers and Babies, Woolwich, and St. Alfege's Hospital, Greenwich, monthly
meetings have again been held between the Council's medical, nursing and midwifery
staff and the consultant and nursing staffs of the hospital maternity and paediatric
departments. These gatherings have proved very helpful in solving many common
problems.
Prophylaxis
Diphtheria immunisation and vaccination have both been carried out at six sessions
held weekly for this combined purpose. The work is also undertaken (a) at some
outlying centres in conjunction with ordinary infant welfare sessions and (b) at day
nurseries. Inoculation against whooping cough is available on request. Diphtheria
immunisation ' booster ' sessions have been arranged at schools; 1,987 cases were
completed. Subcutaneous inoculation and separate antigens are used except at one
centre where a trial commenced in September of a combined diphtheria and whooping
cough subcutaneous antigen. Only four confirmed cases of diphtheria occurred during
the year, three in children at a rest centre who had not been immunised and the other
in a soldier 27 years of age whose immunisation state is unknown. There were no
fatalities.
Day nurseries
The day nursery (60 places) which occupied a ward in New Cross General Hospital
was closed. Accommodation in lieu for a 30-place nursery, which has proved adequate
to the need, was made available at the Health Centre, Amersham Road, Deptford.
Special
investigation
clinics
To the special investigation clinic in Greenwich, two others have been added,
viz., in the Health Centres at Amersham Road, Deptford and Market Street, Woolwich.
Children are referred from welfare centres or school medical inspections for investigation
of minor behaviour problems, and improvement has occurred in many instances.
Old people
Exchange of information has extended between the Council's officers and staffs of
the Greenwich-Deptford and Woolwich hospital management committees who have
shown special interest in geriatric problems. The old people's welfare committee in
Deptford is now amongst the voluntary bodies on which the division is represented.
Home help
service
This service has further expanded. On 31st December, 1951, the households attended
numbered 1,450. At the end of 1952, they were 1,665.
Chiropody
Attendances totalled 73,000 or a rate of increase of 50 per cent. over those of five
years ago.
Other
services
Other maternity and child welfare, school health and care services have continued
to do a great volume of varied work. Behind the organisation and the figures he much