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Speech Therapy.
I am indebted to Miss Joan Pollitt, Senior Speech Therapist
to the Kent Education Committee for the following
report:—
The Bexley Speech Therapy Clinic suffered a grave loss
through the death of Mrs. Rant in October, 1960. Mrs. Rant
had been one of the most enthusiastic members of the
County's staff for fifteen years. She had been in charge of
the Bexley Speech Therapy Clinic in the days when the clinic
was held at Wrotham Road, Welling. She had continued to
be in charge of the clinic when it moved to its present premises
at Murchison Avenue. She had to have a short period
of sick leave in June 1960. She returned to her duties but
shortly afterwards had to go into hospital. During the remainder
of the summer and early autumn she remained on
sick leave, recuperating at home and in convalescent homes.
Not until two weeks before her death did she return to
hospital, and, only then, was the seriousness of her condition
realised. Her death came as a great shock to her colleagues
and patients and she has been greatly missed by all who
knew her.
Mrs. Grove has continued to work for two sessions each
week at Murchison Avenue. It will be appreciated that as
Mrs. Rant was not able to do any work at that clinic after
July, the figures in this annual report are the smallest submitted
since Mrs. Rant began working at Bexley for eight
sessions per week.
Fifty-eight children, who are under the care of the
Bexley Education Authority, have been dealt with within
the County's Speech Therapy Services during the year.
The cases of nineteen of these children have been closed
and thirty-nine will continue to attend into 1961.
Of the nineteen closed cases, seventeen have attended
at the Murchison Avenue Clinic and two have attended at
Sidcup.
The cases of the nineteen children have been closed for
the following reasons:—
Satisfactory results following appointments at
the clinic 14
Treatment incomplete—considerable progress
made—appointments then rejected 1
Treatment continued elsewhere:—
At Child Guidance Clinic 1
At a hospital Speech Therapy Clinic
(following Mrs. Rant's death) 1
At Special School for E.S.N. Children 1
Appointments offered but never kept 1
19
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