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KINGSLEY HALL DAY CENTRS
The Centre continued running smoothly throughout 1967. The average daily
attendance was 13.5 and there were 11 new admissions and 11 discharges. There
was one death and two removals from the district, and the rest were suitably
placed either in special school or the Castle School when they reached the age
of five years.
The Centre staff were greatly helped this year by frequent visits from
Dr. Kenneth Holt and some of his assistants from the Institute of Child Health,
Great Ormond Street. He is extremely interested in the progress of handicapped
children in a nursery situation, and he discusses with the staff many details
of their management. The interest he showed and the trouble he took was very
much appreciated.
During the year, many former children were seen by the staff either by
visiting them at their various schools or having them visit the Centre. This
is important as it gives a clearer idea of the value of the early work done for
these children. Their introduction to school life is certainly effected with
much less trauma than the children who were not fortunate enough to have this
nursery experience.
CYTOLOGY SERVICE
The estimated female population between 35/54 years of age at present
resident in the London Borough of Barking is 22,500. The number of women
screened in our local authority clinics was 1,186 in 1966 and 1,346 in 1967.
The number of women screened by general practitioners from 1.4.67 to 31.3.68
was 202. Altogether 12% of the female population in question have been screened.
This is a very rough estimate as we have no knowledge, of course, of the women
who have been screened in various hospitals. Our present policy is to accept
anyone who wishes to have a test regardless of age or parity, but we give
priority to the 35/50 age group.
The screening of cervical smears began in Dagenham in 1964/65. A more
intensive programme started in 1966 after the creation of the new London
Borough.
The screening programme throughout the country is still in rather a fluid
state, there being no firm policy as yet. The Ministry of Health published a
circular in 1966 giving the outlines of the service when the age limit was
given as 35 and upwards. Another circular in 1967 dealt with the record forms
to be used by all taking part in cytology services: one copy of the uniform
record was to be sent to the General Register Office. The main purpose of this
was to set up a national recall system for women who had negative smears and
also to provide information for statistical analysis in the study of the natural
history of the disease.
There has been much controversy about the appropriate priorities and the
value of cervical cytology. The Ministry of Health has a number of pilot
schemes and it is hoped that as a result of these some guidance will be given
about the priority groups and the system of recall.
We have been running five clinics in the area. Of the 1,346 patients seen
in 1967, 17 were found to require recall for further investigation.
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