View report page

33
PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
These services are provided under Part III of the National
Health Service Act of 1946.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH
Audrey Jones, m.b., ch.b., Senior Medical Officer
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
From 1st April, 1971, the following responsibilities of the
Health Department were gradually relinquished to the new
Social Service Department:—
1. Care of Unmarried Mother and Child.
2. Day Nurseries and Child Minders.
3. Recuperative Care.
Moreover, responsibility for the Chiropody Service was transferred
to the Personal Health Services from the Welfare Department.
Child Health Clinics
The total number of premises used is still 36, of which 6
are purpose built, 3 adapted and the remainder hired and
occupied on a sessional basis. There were an average of 41
doctor sessions per week. Local Authority Medical Officers are
becoming increasingly orientated towards the developmental
assessment of children. Physical, intellectual, emotional and
social growth are all necessary for a child to reach his best
potential. Risk and observation registers are kept to follow up
those who are at risk of developing a handicap, because of an
adverse genetic or perinatal history or later factors influencing
progress, so that the most appropriate help can be instigated if
it is required. There is close liaison here with the Maternity and
Paediatric Departments of the local hospitals. All babies have a
test by the midwife about 8-10 days after birth to detect the
presence of phenylketonuria which if untreated leads to mental
subnormality. There was one case detected, which is now being
successfully treated.
The number of sessions held at these clinics totalled 2,421, an
average of approximately 48 per week. The number of attendances
by children was 70,694, a decrease of 10,621 compared
with the figure for the previous year. Of this total 59 per cent
were children under one year of age, 21 per cent children of one
to two years of age, and 20 per cent children from 2 to 5 years
of age. The number of children who attended the clinics was
5,104.