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which he is best suited, but he can help those children who without
such assistance might reach the stage of needing treatment which only
the psychiatrist can give. In this range of activities, the psychiatrist
who is dealing with only the maladjusted child or with the child who
without help would become maladjusted, deals with a relatively small
part of the school population. In many places, then, it might well be
that the attendance of the psychiatrist is necessary only two or three
sessions a week as contrasted with the full-time service of certain members
of the staff including the psychologist. In such an organisation, then, the
educational side might far outweigh the clinical side as conducted by
the psychiatrist. In such circumstances, there is every justification for
the name of the service being changed to indicate the altered emphasis
and for it to be known as a child guidance centre rather than a child
guidance clinic.
This, however, is not the position here. The service that was being
provided was essentially a medical one, given by the psychiatrist and
the team working with her. Quite apart from any educational work,
which could be carried out by the psychologist at the clinic or by any
others who might be appointed there, there has been more than sufficient
medical work being carried out at No. 2, St. John's Road, to have warranted
the organisation being continued as a child guidance clinic under
the psychiatrist. There is, of course, room for the extra range of activities
of the psychologists in the schools and there is every advantage
in the closest co-operation between them and other workers in this field.
But there is not the physical room at the building for it to be the headquarters
of the larger number of workers who would need to be appointed
if so much of this other work were to be done there that the psychiatric
work would be swamped to such an extent as to warrant the organisation
being known as a child guidance centre. In spite, then, of the altered
title, No. 2, St. John's Road, is essentially still a child guidance clinic,
and as such should be under the administrative control of the whole-time
psychiatrist.
Speech Clinic.
The Speech Clinic formerly maintained at No. 2, St. John's Road,
was transferred during the year to the Marlborough Hill Clinic. Those
attending are nearly all school children referred to Miss Clayton, the
Speech Therapist, either by the school medical officers or by the head
teachers.
Dental Treatment.
Dental treatment, apart from that provided under the National
Health Service Act, is available for certain priority sections of the public,
namely, school children, children under five and expectant and nursing
mothers.
The service is under the administration of the area dental officer,
Mr. A. G. Brown.
There are dental surgeries at five premises, namely, 76, Marlborough
Hill, Elmwood Avenue clinic, Alexandra Avenue clinic, Roxeth clinic,
and Honeypot Lane clinic.