View report page

40
DEAFNESS
Schemes for testing all infants during the first year of life, whose
names were included on the "At Risk" register, were continued.
This assessment of hearing ability is extended to all infants attending
child health centres, and where staffing permits by home visits
of health visitors.
For detailed figures see Appendix, page 110.
CHIROPODY
The system of using the services of approved chiropodists working in
their own surgeries was continued and attendances rose steadily. Satisfactory
reports on the premises and mode of practice of all chiropodists in the
scheme were received from the Corporation's visiting specialist. Domiciliary
treatment was also included, but the fees came out of the financial allocation
allowed to each practitioner. It was thus left to individual chiropodists
to decide how they allocated services within their global budgets.
The scheme covers elderly persons, expectant mothers and the permanently
handicapped.
It has proved a successful and popular service, and requests for increases
were limited only by financial consideration. For the past four years
in New Addington, the complete absence of any private chiropodist's surgery
within the scheme has necessitated the provision of a Corporation clinic,and
the engagement of a part-time chiropodist for 2 sessions a week. Similar
facilities were provided at the "Waylands" Training Centre where up to 100
physically handicapped persons may attend each day and many need chiropody.
On December 31st 1970, 29 chiropodists were operating this scheme.
During the period January 1 st to December 31st 1970, they gave 22,811 treatments
at their surgeries and 7,208 by domiciliary visits. 481 treatments were
given at Parkway Clinic, New Addington and 329 at "Waylands".
CERVICAL CYTOLOGY
The number of new cases increased again this year, but it has not always
been possible to reach the target set by the Regional Hospital Board Laboratory
of 100 new cases per week.
Various methods of publicity have been tried and the best results obtained
by a system of printed post cards of various colours. The cards are
identical on one side, requesting name, address, age etc. The reverse side
varies according to the means of distribution e.g. cards given out by a Health
Visitor or School nurse at a Medical Inspection remind the mother that her
child has just received a health check and suggesting that she could also