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Occasional creches—A growing need in the division to accommodate children under
five years of age for short periods led to the opening of three further occasional creches
during the year.
Voluntary school treatment centre—Reimbursed by the Council, the Dame Colet
Voluntary School Treatment Centre Committee provided a minor ailment service for
schoolchildren in Dame Colet Cottage, Waley Street, E.l for many years. Owing to a
steady decline in attendances the service needed to be curtailed and by arrangement the
Council took over responsibility and now provides a service commensurate with current
demand.
Chiropody—Enhanced recruitment of part-time chiropodists more than balanced loss
by resignations. At the end of the year the weekly sessions had increased from 12 to 18,
thus going some way towards satisfying the need for chiropody for the older inhabitants.
Health education—Activities have continued to develop and plans were made during
the year for combined meetings of mothers' clubs.
Home help service—In-service training of home helps was inaugurated, consisting of
two half-day periods of lectures, films and discussion about their work and their place in
the Health Service. On each occasion 30 home helps attended and the scheme has proved
to be of considerable interest and value to the staff.
DIVISION 6, comprising the boroughs of Deptford, Greenwich and Woolwich
Dr. F. R. Waldron reports:
Premises—An additional infant welfare centre to serve a new and rapidly growing
residential area was opened at St. Peter's Church Hall, Woolwich, in April.
To meet an increasing demand for clinic facilities from residents of the Abbey Estate,
Woolwich, the temporary maternity and child welfare centre provided in housing accommodation
on the estate was enlarged by the incorporation of the adjoining ground floor
flat.
Maternity services—Pressure on hospital beds, especially for the Deptford area continues.
The early discharge scheme in operation in the Greenwich and Deptford area has run
smoothly and more than 200 cases were dealt with during the year.
Prophylaxis—The major part of the trial of quadruple vaccine was completed during the
year. Because of the intricate nature of the laboratory investigations involved, it is probable
that results of the trial will not be available before mid-1964.
B.C.G. vaccination—The B.C.G. team visited all secondary schools in the division. Of
the 2,791 children skin tested and read 2,627 tubercular negative children were given
B.C.G., while 158 children were referred for X-ray.
Chiropody—There was again great difficulty in maintaining a full service during the year
due to staffing difficulties. Every effort was made to meet the demand of priority classes
but at times the waiting period had of necessity to be longer than desirable. Credit is due
to staff who made every attempt to deal with the problem.
Prevention of break-up of families—The co-ordinating committee continued to meet
regularly to consider policy and subjects of common concern as well as measures to help
particular families, the allocation of social case workers and of specially trained home
helps. In addition, 44 intermediate case conferences were held, at which a number of
departments of the Council and the majority of other statutory and voluntary agencies
in the area took part.
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