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examination of staff. Local general practitioners also attend
occasionally on a sessional basis, but at times when vacancies
occur as in 1967, the general medical practitioners attend on a
more regular basis.
Child Welfare Clinics
The total number of children attending the Clinics decreased
from 8921 in 1966 to 8279 in 1967. 74.4% of children born in
1967 attended the clinics compared with a equivalent figure
of 75.8% in 1966. Total attendances also fell from 51,628 in
1966 to 43,265 in 1967, the average number of attendances for all
children falling from 5.8 to 5.2 per annum. A number of factors
are involved in the decrease in attendances. The fall in the birth
rate obviously means that there are fewer babies to attend, but
the change in the concept of the child welfare clinic from the
centre where the baby comes to be weighed regularly to ascertain
progress, to a clinic where routine screening tests and medical
examinations, with the parent being able to consult doctor and
health visitor, has tended to reduce the largerattendanc.es of
healthy infants, and led to a more beneficial use of the clinic
services for those mothers who have any doubt about the progress
or development of their babies. An additional factor in the reduced
attendances has been the closure of the three clinics mentioned
earlier in this report, for building works to be carried out. This
had the effect of reducing the total number of sessions from
1,489 in 1966 to 1,417 in 1967. The temporary accommodation
provided for the clinic services was not in all cases as readily
accessible, and, of course, did not have the facilities available
in the purpose built clinic premises they were temporarily
replacing.