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which cannot be adopted in property utilised for other purposes. The understanding
and assistance which has been given by the Authorities at the
Methodist Central Hall should be placed on record—it has been very much
appreciated. Every effort has always been made to meet our requests, often
to the detriment of their own work.
For the last ten years major forms of defects seem to be completely
disappearing from the child population. Poliomyelitis is one outstanding
condition which seems to remain outside our reach, and leaves major defects.
If such cases are brought to the Clinic early, and treatment in Hospital has
been afforded, the amount of defect from this ugly disease can be greatly
reduced. The time factor is very important, as indeed it is in most other
diseases.
There is a decline in the major type of orthopaedic defect. Marked
defects which formerly needed the attention of the Orthopædic Surgeon are
more rarely seen and the less serious cases can now be treated by class exercises
in the Clinic. Even some of the minor defects due to developmental conditions
are disappearing altogether.
The position with regard to children under five years of age awaiting
operation for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy is not satisfactory. All operations
were suspended during the epidemic of Poliomyelitis, but as the year
came to its close the shortage of hospital beds, and the long waiting list which
accumulated owing to the ban, has presented a problem. There had been a
weekly allocation of beds from the Royal Waterloo Hospital, but the
Authorities there were compelled to cancel the arrangements, and at the
present time the position is far from satisfactory. There is little prospect in
the near future of the waiting list being reduced, and the children receiving
the treatment which they require. It is high time that an extension of service
in this direction was established. It is also apparent that a children's Unit is
very necessary either alone or in conjunction with a General Hospital and
should be developed in the North Middlesex area.
The Day Nurseries have been well attended and the very long waiting
list of children proves that more establishments of this nature are required.
It is still a very difficult problem to obtain suitable probationers for
Day Nurseries. There is a tendency in this Service from the applicants standpoint
that if a girl cannot get suitable work elsewhere, then she will try a Day
Nursery—such girls very quickly realise that the duties in a Day Nursery are
more exacting than they imagine. Great credit is due to the young people
who adopt this work as a career and carry on and see it through. The care
rendered to children in a Day Nursery is one of constant attention and concentration
on detail, in diet, training and character development. Compliments
have been received from the teaching staffs of Edmonton Schools as to how well
the Day Nursery children fit in to school life.
The Services rendered at the Technical College are very good and
appreciated by the probationers, but de-centralisation of training away from the
Nurseries has not had a good effect. It tends to minimise the importance of
the practical training, and raises in the minds of a pupil the desire of obtaining
a certificate in a theoretical manner. The future, however, may see greater
attention given to the practical work in a Day Nursery, and being brought into
closer co-operation with the teaching side.
A shortage of nursing staff, especially Heath Visitor/School Nurses has
made it necessary to employ part-time State Registered Nurses to assist, and it
will be some time before this difficulty can be overcome.
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