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The B.C.G. vaccination of 13-year-old school children was successfully carried out
in March and April. 67 per cent. of parents consented to the vaccination. Propaganda
has been intensified to persuade the remaining parents to agree to vaccination.
Chiropody
The Council's decision to allow the spread of chiropody services has been most
welcome. Chiropody clinics have been opened in Stockwell and Brixton and are
serving a most valuable purpose. Arrangements are being made to open a session in
Southwark.
Domiciliary
services
The home help, district nursing and other domiciliary services have continued
satisfactorily. The chief difficulties experienced in the homes visited have been occasioned
by the problem families themselves, for whom much is being done. The specially
trained home helps have already proved their value in assisting these families. The
health visitors have done much to ensure that the public health services are fully utilised
and that everything is done to prevent children being taken into care.
I would like to thank the staff and voluntary workers in the division for their loyal
help and co-operation in working together to give an efficient service to the public.
Division 9, comprising the boroughs of Battersea and Wandsworth.
Dr. J. T. R. Lewis reports:
For the fifth year it is a great pleasure to give a short account of the work carried out
in health division 9 for the past year. The year was again a busy one for it is one of the
most interesting features of public health work that as some problems are solved, others
arise. Indeed, one of the things which I think may not always be realized is that problems
in public health and preventive medicine change, and possibly change quite quickly, as
the social and economic conditions of the people change. We should be on our guard
against applying standards which might have been applicable ten years ago to the
problems and conditions which exist today. It is against this general background that
I review brieflv the work in 1956.
Premises
There were no alterations or additions to the premises used for health service
purposes other than as referred to under day nurseries below. Considerable time,
however, was spent putting in final form plans for the new centres in purpose-built
and adapted premises which it is hoped will be erected in the division in the not distant
future. At the time of writing, however, no new centre has vet been opened.
Day nurseries
The Clapham Common day nursery was closed on 1st March, 1956, and the
Larkhall Rise day nursery closed on 17th August, 1956. There were at the end of the
year, therefore, 439 places in nine maintained day nurseries and of these day nurseries
seven were classified as training day nurseries. This compares with 549 places in eleven
day nurseries a year ago.
Occasional
creche
The attendance of children at the occasional creche at Fairfield welfare centre has
not yet reached an economic level, the highest attendance being fifteen. The creche,
however, is being kept open.
Child-
minders
At the end of the year there were fifteen registered child-minders and ten registered
private day nurseries authorised to care for, respectively, a total of 104 and 230 children.
In the previous year there were eleven registered child-minders and nine private day
nurseries authorised respectively for 78 and 226 children.
Maternity
and child
welfare
There were no great changes in the maternity and child welfare services in 1956.
Two weekly evening dental sessions for expectant and nursing mothers were provided,
one at the St. Christopher's school treatment centre, Battersea, and the other at the
Streatham school treatment centre. In order to absorb the increased attendances, the
toddlers' session at the Putney infant welfare centre which was previously held
fortnightly was made a weekly session, and the monthly toddlers' session at Riggindale
welfare centre, Streatham, became a fortnightly session.
Mental
health
education
A second orientational course on mental health education was held in the division
in November, 1956. A medical officer and health visitors have also continued to receive
training under the guidance of the medical director of a child guidance unit.
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