London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Croydon 1960

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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28
SPEECH THERAPY
The Speech Clinic has again suffered changes of staff. We
were sorry to lose the services of Mrs. Colby, who had been
Senior Therapist for many years and had done so much to improve
and expand the service in this Borough.
The pressure of work is still very great, and there are long
waiting lists of cases requiring treatment at all the Clinics.
We shall welcome the addition of one whole time Therapist, who
it is hoped will join the staff early in 1961.
The heavy case load at St. Christopher's School is still a
great problem. It is hoped to expand the service there shortly
by at least one more session per week. The pressure is less
severe at St. Giles' School, though an extra session there is
also desirable.
Work in New Addington is continuing to expand, and though an
extra session has been added to the working week there, there is
still a long list of cases awaiting treatment.
Two parents meetings were held by the Speech Clinic staff
during the past year, one at Croydon and one at New Addington.
Both were well attended and provided an interesting and beneficial
evening for both parents and staff. It is hoped to hold
similar meetings in the coming year.
During the past year we were pleased to have the added help
and co-operation of two new colleagues. Miss Diraond Hogg,Teacher
of the Deaf, and Mr. Reid, Educational Psychologist.
The aphasic child with allied specific difficulties continues
to present a recurring problem. Such children require
intensive investigations. The possibility of setting up a
special class for them is under consideration.
Total number of cases treated 314 (312)
Total number of cases discharged 74 (111)
Total number of cases still attending 240 (201)
(The figures for 1959 are in brackets)
Further details of the work carried out are shown in
Appendix B. Table X.