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Minor Ailment Clinics
Attendances at minor ailment clinics have fallen off somewhat
since the introduction of the National Health Service Act. Now that the
services of the family doctors are available to school children free of
charge it is not surprising that these are used to a far greater extent.
Minor ailment clinics still serve a purpose in that nurses are available
to carry out routine treatments, and there is the added advantage
that there is less time to wait and the child loses less schooling.
The medical officers still feel keenly the loss of their power to
issue prescriptions for medicaments. Whilst it could be argued that
their function is to prevent and not to treat, one has to face the fact
that parents are inclined to think that a doctor who is not allowed to
issue a prescription for some trifling malady is necessarily inferior to
the family and hospital doctors, and they are the less likely to accept
his advice on preventive measures.
Cases treated for minor ailments (e.g. minor injuries,
bruises, sores, chilblains, etc.) 3,860
Total attendances 25,593
Denial Services
Barking has been very much more fortunate than many districts
in retaining a staff of Dental Officers during a time of great disparity
between earnings in the National Health Service and the School Health
Service. Although we lost the services of Mr. Gilchrist during the
year we we fortunate in that Mr. R. A. Robinson, L.D.S., joined us
and commenced duties on the 27th July, 1953.
You will remember that your last Senior Dental Officer resigned
in December, 1951. Unfortunately we have not been able to replace
him since it not the County Council's policy to make such appointments
in Areas. I personally feel that there is as much need for a
Senior Dental Officer as for a Superintendent Health Visitor or a
Domestic Help Organiser, and I hope that the matter will be reconsidered.
The Barking Committee for Education has taken a close interest
in orthodontic treatment this year, particularly with regard to measures
designed to ensure that children do not abandon the somewhat lengthy
treatment before its completion.
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