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6
March, 1949, Miss Harris (Physiotherapist) left your service, and
all attempts to fill the vacancy have failed. For nine months of
the year under review it has therefore been necessary to curtail the
physiotherapy service and to abandon the artificial sunlight clinic
for pre-school and school children.
In my last annual report I drew attention to the disastrous
position in which mothers and children are now placed in consequence
of the dental arrangements set up under the new National
Health Service Act, and to the grievous harm which will be done
to their dental welfare and future health unless something can be
done at once to remove the anomaly. A year ago I felt that the
position was so palpably serious that something would have to be
done. Unfortunately, as will be seen from the report of your
Senior Dental Surgeon (Mr. A. E. Hall) on pages 97 to 99 and my
introductory observations thereon, the position has worsened to
such a degree that it can now be regarded as a major tragedy.
Leyton, which should have six full-time dental surgeons to carry
out the pre-school and school dental services, has now only one ;
and it is a source of gratification that there are still to be found
dental surgeons in the service of local authorities who have been
able and willing to resist the tempting remuneration of private
practice.
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT PART III
As explained in my last report, on 5th July, 1948, the Essex
County Council took over from Leyton Council responsibility for
local public health services connected with maternal and child
welfare, home nursing, priority dental service, domestic help,
vaccination and immunisation, after-care, ambulance service,
blood transfusion and laboratory services.
There is still a Leyton Health Area Sub-Committee, which is
responsible to the County Council for certain aspects of these
services, but the responsible official is the County Medical Officer.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,