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Ophthalmic Clinics
There are three ophthalmic clinics in the Borough. Three sessions a week
are held at the Edmonton Central Clinic and also at the Southbury Clinic, and two
sessions at Bowes Road Combined Clinic. 2,867 school children were examined
during the year and 1,097 were prescribed glasses.
Orthoptic Clinics
The orthoptist attends at each clinic where ophthalmic sessions are held. She
works in close conjunction with the ophthalmologists, and children who have
strabismus are referred to her for treatment. Post-operative exercises are given
when the condition has necessitated operation. 536 children received orthoptic
treatment or were kept under observation during the year.
Orthopaedic Clinic
In view of the decreasing attendance and the infrequency of clinic sessions, it
was decided to discontinue the session held at Chase Farm Hospital. There is now
only one session, which is held fortnightly at the Edmonton Central Clinic. Exercises,
electric baths, radiant heat and infra-red treatment and ultra-violet light therapy
recommended by the orthopaedic surgeon are given by the physiotherapist,
who also undertakes treatment at the special school. He takes parties of children
from the Open Air School, who suffer from chest complaints, for regular remedial
swimming activities at the swimming baths. The number of attendances at the
consultant's session was 224 school children and the number of new cases was 80.
The type of cases seen includes foot deformities, knock knee, scoliosis, kyphosis,
chest deformities, etc.
Speech Clinics
After a long period of being understaffed, we have had two full-time and one
part-time speech therapist since September, 1965.
The speech therapists, in addition to their work in the clinics, also hold sessions
at Durants and Oaktree Schools for Educationally Sub-normal Children and a
weekly session at the Junior Training School for Mentally Handicapped Children.
There were 3,106 attendances and 104 new cases during the year. 310 children
received treatment or were kept under observation. The various defects treated
included stammer, dyslalia, stigmatism, cleft palate, hyponasality, delayed development
of speech, etc.
Child Guidance Clinic
The Child Guidance Centre and Clinic is situated at Garvary, Dryden Road,
Bush Hill Park. There is staffing provision for a part-time psychiatrist (eight sessions
per week), four psychiatric social workers, four educational psychologists and two
psycho-therapists. The Education Committee is responsible for appointing staff
other than psychiatrists, who are appointed by the North East Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board.
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