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9
Convalescence for Children under Five. The Council makes an annual
grant to the Invalid Children's Aid Association in respect of children under five
years of age recommended for convalescence. During the year, 36 children were
sent to convalescent homes.
War-time Day Nurseries. At the end of 1945 the Council was still maintaining
four day nurseries, but H.M. Government having decided to relinquish
financial responsibility for the whole of the nett approved expenditure on 1st April,
and thereafter to make a grant to Welfare Authorities of approximately 46 per
cent., the Council reviewed the position and decided to close the Cyril Henry Nursery.
This nursery was taken over at the end of April by the London County Council as
a nursery school. Thus, three day nurseries remained providing accommodation
for 180 children. These three nurseries were still open at the end of the year. The
health of the children attending the day nurseries was generally good and no serious
outbreaks of infection occurred. Regular medical supervision was provided.
Clinic for Physical Medicine. The year 1946 was the first complete year
during which the clinic for physical medicine had been open full time, but even so,
owing to staffing difficulties it is not possible to say that it was working to full
capacity. Attendances totalled 12,249, compared with 10,955 in 1945.
Professional Nursing in the Home. The provision of nursing assistance
in the homes of patients suffering from certain infectious diseases by arrangement
with the local nursing associations, as described in previous Annual Reports, was
continued. The total number of visits paid by nurses on behalf of the Council
was 2,056. An additional grant of £100 was made to the nursing associations for
the nursing of children under the age of five years for non-infectious conditions,
distributed on the basis of a percentage of the total of such cases nursed by the
nurses of each nursing association.
Foot Clinics. Although there was an unsatisfied demand, the number of
treatments given at both the Woolwich and Eltham foot clinics was lower than
in 1945. This fall was partly due to staffing shortages and probably to the reintroduction
of the appointments system which was in abeyance during the war.
The number of attendances at the Central Health Centre was 7,826 compared with
9,148 in 1945, and at the Eltham Hill Health Centre, Sherard Road, the attendances
were 5,030 compared with 5,669 in 1945.
Supply of Insulin to Persons Suffering from Diabetes. The number
of patients who received Insulin during the year, in accordance with the sanction
of the Ministry of Health, was 26.
Tuberculosis Dispensaries. The temporary premises at Maxey Road,
Plumstead, and the dispensary at 11, Carnecke Gardens, Eltham, continued in use
throughout the year. The work of the dispensaries is referred to in the section
dealing with infectious diseases.
Vaccination. The Vaccination Officer's return for the year shows that there
were 1,466 entries in the birth lists. Of these, 796 were successfully vaccinated.
The total number of successful primary vaccinations during 1946 was 1,744.