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children who could be discharged with much improved speech has shown a
marked improvement as the result of this policy, and should enable earlier
attention to be given in future years to children newly admitted for
treatment.
The reorganisation of the structure of the Service with the appointment
of three Senior Speech Therapists responsible for particular areas of the
work, is already bringing significant rewards, and it is pleasing to record
that the Service once again has a full complement of Speech Therapists in
post. Attempts are being made to improve the proportion of children who
actually receive treatment during available treatment sessions. One in every
five appointments offered by the Service is not kept, and this represents a
significant loss in treatment time.
The improved staffing position has allowed increased attention to be
given to special units. Assessment of the speech therapy needs at Coldharbour
School indicated that a useful contribution could be made.
Coldharbour School now has three Speech Therapists attending on the equivalent
of three days a week. A policy of intelligent, continuing speech therapy
has been firmly laid down. It is inherent in this policy that a slow start is
made with the fullest possible assessment of the whole school situation.
This will enable the Service to avoid the breakdowns which sometimes occur
in this type of treatment.
By arrangement with the Croydon & District Spastics Society, an assessment
of the Children's Centre at Rutherford was made, and arrangements were
completed for the Service to provide therapy at that Centre, subject to reimbursement,
for the next two years.
The West Thornton Unit continues to flourish as a successful treatment
centre with four children discharged and three children admitted in 1969.
Miss Fenn left after one school year as temporary teacher, and Miss Evans
was welcomed back at the end of the Summer Term. Since Miss Evans' return
from her year's course, it has been possible to take up a more progressive
attitude to treatment methods.
Existing commitments at special schools have been maintained, and the
development of the Service during 1969 is providing exciting opportunities
for the Service in the future. Statistics are shown on page 64.
WEIGHT CONTROL CLINIC
Dr. Phyllis M. Mortimer, School Medical Officer
Once again two new groups of the Weight Control Clinic were started
during the year, while treatment continued to be available to girls from any
previous groups who still required support and advice. The general pattern
of meetings remained as before: an initial weighing and discussion session,
followed by some form of nutritional education activity. Experiments related
to factors affecting taste sensations proved to be the most popular of these
activities.