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Division 8, comprising the boroughs of Bermondsey, Lambeth and Southwark.
Dr. W. H. S. Wallace reports:
Welfare
centres
Several alterations and improvements have been made to the maternity and child
welfare centres in the division. St. Anne's welfare centre, a voluntary centre in the
Vauxhall area, has moved into entirely new premises. The new clinic is of attractive
design and much more convenient. Extensive work was carried out at the North
Brixton welfare centre where the structure of the building was in need of repair. The
building was closed during the summer months and the clinic was temporarily held at
the Brixton School treatment centre. The work was completed by the autumn and
the clinic is now held in much improved surroundings. The Voluntary Committee of
North Lambeth Babies' Care resigned early in the year. The premises in which the
clinic had been housed were found to be unsatisfactory and, later, were closed and
additional facilities were provided at the Moffat welfare centre, Alford House, not far
away. The facilities are, however, far from adequate and the provision of a new combined
maternity and child welfare and school clinic in North Lambeth is an urgent
necessity. The work of combining the maternity and child welfare and school treatment
services at the West Norwood welfare centre was completed during the year. Minor
ailment and dental sessions arc now provided at the Centre.
Immunisation
We have had a most successful year tor diphtheria immunisation. In view or the tact
that diphtheria is now almost never seen it is feared that parents may fail to realise the
importance of immunisation. Efforts have therefore been made to intensify propaganda
and these efforts have been very successful. The experimental system of sending letters
to all parents when their children reach the age of five months and again four months
later if they have not been immunised has been continued throughout the year.
Fortunately, it was possible to carry this out systematically without a stop in 1956.
In 1955, an outbreak of poliomyelitis stopped immunisation and propaganda ceased
during the summer months. So few cases of poliomyelitis occurred in 1956 that it was
possible to continue diphtheria immunisation throughout the year, and consequently
6,115 children were immunised in 1956, compared with 4,809 in 1955.
Poliomyelitis
inoculation
Poliomyelitis inoculation was successfully begun during May and June. Inoculation
was offered to all children in the division between the ages of 2 and 9, numbering
41,590, and of these 14,207 accepted. Unfortunately the supply of vaccine was very
limited and only enough material was supplied to inoculate 1,876 children. This was
carried out at the main welfare centres in the division and no ill effects or reactions were
experienced among the children.
Day nurseries
lhe demand tor day nursery accommodation has varied in ditterent parts ot the
division. In parts of Bermondsey and in Norwood there has been a fall in attendances
and consequently Knights Hill nursery, in Norwood, was closed in March. In the
central parts of the division, especially in the Brixton area, there has been an increased
demand for nursery vacancies. This has largely been due to the considerable coloured
population who are continuing to come to the Brixton area.
The new day nursery at China Walk was opened in June. The nursery consists of the
ground floor of a new block of flats in China Walk, North Lambeth. It provides a
replacement for St. George's day nursery, in Southwark, which was closed. Although
the new nursery is not in the same borough as the one it replaces, the distance between
them is very small and no inconvenience has been caused.
School
health
service
The health ot the school children has continued to show an improvement, There has
been a further fall in the number of minor ailment and rheumatism cases attending
clinics. There has also been a drop in the number attending the enuresis clinic at All
Saints' Hospital. Unfortunately this appears to be due to the increased facilities elsewhere
rather than a decrease in the incidence of enuresis. The standards of cleanliness of school
children have been well maintained. As such small numbers were in need of cleansing
the arrangements for the cleansing of school children at the Bermondsey bathing
centre have been terminated.
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