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guidance clinic and that it should be fully supported in terms of staff and
equipment. Mere periodic outpatient consultations are just not enough for
the hard core-of emotionally disturbed children seen at the day unit.
A novel project initiated this year has been the development of peripheral
clinics at infant welfare centres of the local health authority. With
the kind permission of Dr. S.L. Wright new cases are seen at the Lodge
Road clinic, New Addington and at Purley. Under ideal circumstances
the children and parents are seen by a psychiatrist, and a psychiatric
social worker, while the 'Cultivation of play groups at the centre is left to
the staff nurse from the main day unit. These clinics are selective in that
only children in the pre-infant and infant school range are seen on the well
founded assumption that the earlier emotional problems are tackled the
higher the therapeutic rewards. Parents offered help early do not show that
despair and resignation which results from years of stress incurred by
chronic neurotic interaction with their children. These new clinics also
help to divert the younger age group away from a slowly expanding waiting
list. Mrs. E.M. Gee, psychiatric social worker, who succeeded Miss R.M.
Heller, is responsible for Lodge Road and Purley, while Miss M.S. Gradwell
is responsible for the New Addington clinic.
The impending appointment of an additional staff nurse to the main
day unit may be seen as a welcome step towards increasing the number of
admissions to the unit, thus releasing pressures on the main waiting list of
the clinic.
The appointment of a clerk/receptionist to the clinic has greatly improved
the setting of the main business of the clinic, namely, the steady
flow of outpatient consultations. A parent can now be interviewed in peace
while the receptionist contains the patient and siblings in the waiting room.
In conclusion it should be recorded that the clinic staff are deeply
appreciative of the help and support so readily given during the year by the
Croydon Health and Education Departments and the Croydon and Warlingham
Park Groud Hospital Management Committee.