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134
General
Services worthy of special mention were:
Problem family conferences—Much concern has been shown in recent years about
problem families, and a monthly conference was set up early in the year to help in the
solution of these problems. 33 families were dealt with in various ways. A family
service unit was established in Islington with one full-time case worker who worked in
close co-operation with the divisional officers.
Recuperative holidays—Statistics showed that the number of these holidays paid for
directly by the Council decreased by 12 per cent. viz. from 951 in 1952 to 833. In
addition, 47 other children under five years of age, and 45 school children, were sent for
convalescence to the Santa Claus Home in Highgate.
Home help service—The total number of households attended increased by 9 per cent.
compared with 1952.
Vaccination of children under one year—Compared with the total annual live births
occurring, the percentage of vaccinations of children under one year increased from
43 per cent. in 1952 to 47 per cent. in 1953.
Foot clinic—9 per cent. increase in attendances, from 21,025 in 1952 to 23,054 in 1953.
Housing—Requests for grading of applications for priority on medical grounds
decreased from 3,954 in 1952 to 3,470.
Care of mothers and young children—15 maternity and child welfare centres (including
branch clinics) were in full operation in the division throughout the year, and a new
centre was opened at Junction Road, Islington, in June, bringing the number of centres
in operation at the end of the year to 16. An unsatisfactory building housing a maternity
and child welfare centre was closed and the centre transferred to better premises. There
were 80,900 total attendances, and first attendance of infants under one year was 87 per
cent. of the total live births occurring in 1953. 341 women were referred for advice to
the two family planning clinics in the division.
Day nurseries—at the end of the year there were nine day nurseries in the division, one
of which was opened in February, serving division 4 as well as this division. The
number of priority cases awaiting admission on the 31st December was 107 compared
with 328 on the 31st December, 1952. One of the two private day nurseries registered
under the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948 closed in the summer.
Vaccination
and
immunisation
A mobile clinic for diphtheria immunisation, equipped with a loud speaker, was
again in use and efforts were continued to improve the state of immunity amongst
school children by increasing the numbers of school sessions for administering reinforcing
injections to children immunised in infancy, and for immunising those who had
not previously been protected. Based on the population figures as at 30th June, 1952, it
was estimated that at 31st December, 1953, 50.8 per cent. of children under five years
had been immunised against diphtheria; 1,939 schoolchildren were given boosting
doses during the year and 2,245 children had a complete course of injections for protection
against whooping cough. No case of diphtheria in children occurred, but one
adult was reported to be a diphtheria carrier. A further four vaccination sessions were
combined with four immunisation sessions, with consequential saving in man-power and
sessional fees to medical officers. Sessions for the re-vaccination of school children were
continued and 980 children were re-vaccinated. As a precautionary measure the
scheme was suspended for about six weeks owing to a rising incidence of poliomyelitis.
School health
service
At the beginning of the autumn term, to save man-power, the hours of opening of
certain minor ailment centres were curtailed. One full-time centre opened in the
mornings only, children requiring treatment in the afternoons attending a nearby welfare
centre and at two other centres the hours of opening were reduced slightly. Arrangements
were also made for emergency cases to be seen at welfare centres or the nearest
full-time minor ailments centre. The ear, nose and throat clinic is now operated by the
North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board at the Whittington Hospital. Most
of the children seen there were referred by school doctors, and the numbers referred for
discharging ears appeared to be declining. The audiology clinic at Islington school