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PERSONAL HEALTH
Arrangements were therefore made to have discussions between officers of
the Health and Children's Departments, local paediatricians, police, National
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and a local general
practitioner, and a procedure was formulated for the early detection of cases
where "battering" is suspected and for the prompt notification to and
consultation between all persons who are concerned. It is proposed to have
further discussions in 1971 and to keep this procedure under review and
make any amendments which prove necessary in the light of practical
experience.
Since this scheme was adopted, eight cases have been investigated and
eventually four children were thought to have received physical abuse, and
appropriate action was taken.
Circular CMO 6/70 dated 31st July, 1970, from the Department of Health and
Social Security, drew attention to the memorandum prepared by the Standing
Medical Advisory Committee on the "Battered Babies" Syndrome and
arrangements were made for copies of this useful publication to be
distributed to appropriate members of the staff.
Non-Fatal Accidents to
Young Children in their
Homes
In 1969 arrangements were made for cases of accidental poisoning in
children under five years of age, treated at the Enfield Group of Hospitals,
to be notified to the Health Office. A health visitor would then visit the
parents and discuss with them precautions to prevent recurrence. This
procedure was continued, and during 1970 details of one hundred and twelve
cases were received under this scheme.
On seventeen occasions children had drunk paraffin, turpentine, or domestic
cleaning fluids. Thirty-one children had swallowed aspirin tablets and
another thirty-one had swallowed other tablets. Eleven children had eaten
berries or seeds. The remaining twenty-two had swallowed miscellanous
substances and included one child, aged three and a half years, who had
eaten the contents of a packet of indoor fireworks ! One child aged nearly
two years, who was admitted after swallowing about half a cup of paraffin,
was admitted again a few months later for the same reason.
On examination at hospital two of the children, each aged one year, were
discovered to be suffering from a condition, unrelated to the accidental
poisoning, which required investigation.
I am glad to be able to report that none of the one hundred and twelve
children suffered any serious after-effects.
We also have an arrangement with the Ambulance Service whereby the
Health Office is notified whenever an ambulance is called to take to hospital
a child suffering from a burn or scald.
During 1970, two children, aged two years and three years, were notified
under this scheme.
Family Planning
Under the Council's scheme, free advice and treatment continued to be
available, through the Family Planning Association, to women in whom
pregnancy would be detrimental to health. Sixty-eight women were provided
with this service.
Clinic premises are made available, without charge, to the Family Planning
Association, one of the clinics being used for a regular counselling session
for the unmarried. At the end of the year fourteen weekly sessions and one
fortnightly session were being held in six of the Council's clinics. The
Association continued to hold one session a week at the War Memorial
Hospital. Two sessions were held weekly at Chase Farm Hospital for the
fitting of intra-uterine devices.
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