View report page

113
where, are passed on to the Medical Officer of Health concerned
.
Welfare Centres. These are set out in detail in Table
No. 66, and only one change took place during the year under
the following circumstances. In June, 1925, the Council
were given legal notice to terminate their occupancy of 289,
Plumstead High Street, premises which had been used as a
welfare centre since 1918, first of all by the American Red
Cross Society and later on by the Council. Owing to the lack
of suitable buildings in this neighbourhood it was necessary
to build, and the Ministry agreed to this on condition that
arrangements were made for this building to be used for some
other purpose in addition to maternity and child welfare. In
consequence the London County Council were approached,
and an arrangment was made whereby this centre will be
used on two whole days a week as a dental clinic for school
children, in addition to the present clinic in Brewer Street,
Woolwich. When the dental clinic is in full swing, approximately
1,400 children per annum, will receive the necessary
treatment, and it will be the first Metropolitan Municipal
Welfare Centre to be used for the purposes of the School
Medical Services. It thus marks a stage in the co-ordination
of health services in London. The centre was opened on the
4th October, during Health Week, by Mr. H. Snell, M.P.,
and the general public were admitted during the week. It
began to function as a centre on the 11th October, and
arrangements have been made to open the dental section at
the beginning of April, 1927.
The plan of the centre is shown on page No. 112, and it
will be seen that the treatment rooms are interchangeable.
At the end of the year 3 ante-natal and 18 infant welfare
sessions were being held each week.
The Work of the Centres. Tables Nos. 66 and 67, which
follow, give detailed statistics for the year 1926, and
consolidated statistics for the year 1925. The number of
attendances of children recorded at the centres is the highest
ever noted in the annals of this work, the previous best figure
being in 1924, when there were 26,233. The attendances of
both expectant and nursing mothers also show an increase.