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PERSONAL HEALTH
Section 21,
National Health Service
Act 1946
Health Centres
I made reference in last year's Report to the completion of the Health
Centre in Forest Road, Edmonton, at the end of 1970, and the subsequent
occupation of the building by seven general medical practitioners, the local
authority health services and some welfare and rehabilitation facilities for the
physically handicapped.
One of the advantages of the Health Centre has been the facilitating of the
process of attachment of nursing and midwifery staff to general practice, and
the closer professional association resulting from this and the shared
facilities - as well as the greater opportunities for co-operation between
general medical practitioners and local authority health and social services
staff.
The Health Department meeting room on the first floor has been used
regularly for meetings of medical officers, nursing staff, health education
activities, psycho-geriatric clinics and for mothers' club meetings. Little
progress was made during the year on the proposed health centre at Old
Road, Enfield.
Section 22
National Health Service
Act 1946
Care of Mothers and Young Children
It is the duty of every local health authority to make arrangements for the
care, including in particular dental care, of expectant and nursing mothers
and of children who have not attained the age of five years and who are not
attending primary schools maintained by a local education authority.
Ante-natal and
Post-natal Sessions
A total of 410 women attended ante-natal clinics and 196 for a post-natal
examination, compared with 443 and 184 respectively for 1970. These
figures reflect the trend, noted in previous reports, for expectant mothers to
be cared for by the general medical practitioner and hospital services. Mothercraft
and relaxation classes for expectant mothers, held in clinics throughout
the borough, continued to be popular, and were attended by 662 women.
Many general practitioners who undertake the ante-natal care of their patients
refer them to these classes.
Child Health Sessions
The 2,041 sessions held were attended bv 12.906 children. The total number
of attendances was 75,661, compared with 77,041 the previous year.
The scheme was continued whereby, at various ages between three months
and four years, each child in the borough is invited to attend a clinic for the
purpose of medical examination and for immunisation and vaccination if
arrangements are not being made through the family doctor. In this way it is
hoped to achieve regular supervision of the health of the child as well as
routine immunisation.
Assessment Centres
The Assessment Clinic continued to be held once a month throughout the
year at the War Memorial Hospital. The sessions were attended by the
Consultant Paediatrician from Chase Farm Hospital, and the Principal
Medical Officer for School Health; the appropriate health visitor also
attended with each child. Children with all types of handicap are seen
at this clinic, and diagnosis and management are discussed, and appropriate
action taken. This should prove to be a valuable step towards increasing cooperation
between the hospital paediatric service and the Local Authority
Health Service.
Specialist Clinic
Referrals
Children suffering from defects were referred to clinics as follows:—
Ophthalmic: 158 new cases; 660 attendances; 81 prescribed spectacles.
Ear, nose and throat: 40 new cases; 55 attendances. Orthoptic: 65 new cases;