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REPORTS BY THE DIVISIONAL MEDICAL OFFICERS
(A statistical summary of work done in the divisions will be found at the end of this section.)
DIVISION 1, comprising the boroughs of Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith and
Kensington
Dr. B. E. A. Sharpe reports:
Health education—In line with the recommendations made by the Maternity Services
Committee, five parentcraft and relaxation classes were added during the year to the three
already held at welfare centres. General practitioners, maternity hospitals and maternity
departments of hospitals were informed of these activities, and attendances and results
are encouraging.
Health education in the Council's schools has increased and one health visitor undertakes
part-time teaching in health education at a large modern secondary school. A course of
four lectures given at a day college was followed by a request for regular talks. Health
visitors also gave talks to home helps, family advice groups and hospital tutors in training.
Nursing staff continued to assist in training girls at a large industrial concern for the
Duke of Edinburgh award, and have now become associated with their youth group.
Lecturers in child care were provided for a few private schools. Medical and nursing staff
took part in school discussion groups and brains trusts, and medical officers have given
lectures on smoking and lung cancer.
Mental health education—The two discussion groups, one based on maternity and child
welfare centres in South Kensington and led by Dr. Felix Brown, Medical Director of the
Earls Court child guidance unit, and the other serving the North Kensington area and led
by Dr. Erskine, psychiatrist, West London hospital, continued to function. Maternity and
child welfare doctors, full-time and sessional, and health visitors have found attendances
at the groups stimulating and beneficial.
As these training groups had by then been functioning for three years and one year
respectively, proposals were in hand at the end of the year for both groups to be discontinued;
the close links established with the child guidance unit, Dr. Felix Brown and
Dr. Erskine being continued by consultations whenever necessary.
A replacement training group in the Fulham area is to become effective on the closure of
the South Kensington group and further developments in this field are under consideration.
Chiropody—The foot clinic previously held on the second floor at Greyhound Road
welfare centre, Fulham, was transferred in September to ground floor accommodation at
the divisional health office for the benefit of the old people using the clinic.
As part of the Council's interim extension of the chiropody service, 11 additional
chiropody sessions allocated to the division for the treatment of the elderly, the physically
handicapped and expectant mothers were started during October and November.
School health service—Special investigation clinics were increased by two a month to 16.
One of the main concerns of the doctors at these clinics is the problem of the obese child.
Orthoptic sessions were reduced by one a week to six.
Prophylaxis—Protection against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus and smallpox
was made available at infant welfare sessions in North Kensington and Fulham, in addition
to the ad hoc prophylaxis sessions held at the centres.
These arrangements will be extended to other centres as more mothers accept the offer
of protective immunisation and vaccination for their children when this can be given at
the infant welfare session.
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