View report page

65
As a result of an enquiry it was found that there would be
relatively little demand for such provision to meet the needs of
those cases where the mothers go out to work, and it was decided
that no provision should be made on these lines. It was, however,
agreed that as an experiment a weekly Toddlers' clinic should be
held at the Broadway Clinic, this being opened in March. The
object of this clinic was to arrange for quarterly inspections of a
limited number of children, the actual inspection following much
on the lines of the routine medical inspection of school children,
sufficient children being invited to attend to ensure an attendance
of about twenty at each session. The results were so encouraging
that, in November, similar clinics, held fortnightly, were opened at
Rayners Lane and at Elmwood Avenue.
Special consideration was given to the question of the arrangements
to be made for the supervision of toddlers on receipt of
Circular 1550, which outlined the various methods by which these
services could be provided by the maternity and child welfare
authority, namely, systematic home visiting by the health visitors
with the referring for treatment of those cases requiring medical
attention, the provision of Toddlers' clinics, arrangements by which
toddlers can obtain treatment for minor ailments, and the provision
of day nurseries.
It was agreed that the health visiting staff be augmented
so as to provide a ratio of one health visitor per 250 births. With
regard to the treatment of minor ailments, arrangements were
made by which those children in districts well served by the minor
ailment clinics for school children should receive, by agreement
with the Middlesex County Council, treatment at these school
clinics, and that, for those parts of the district not served by school
clinics, arrangements be made by the maternity and child welfare
staff.
TREATMENT.
The treatment services include the following : dental treatment,
ultra-violet ray therapy, correction of visual defects, orthopaedic
treatment and the treatment of minor ailments.
In addition, arrangements are made for the admission of suitable
cases to convalescent homes and for home nursing.
Facilities for treatment were on the same lines as those recorded
on page 81 of the Annual Report for the year 1935. The only
change of any import, apart from the inception of the provisions
for the treatment of minor ailments, was that it was agreed
to accept a smaller contribution from those of more limited means
for dental treatment, light treatment and massage.
e