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10
static unit in the outpatient department of Central Middlesex Hospital,
Park Royal and although the public are encouraged to make use of these
facilities difficulties are experienced in getting public co-operation due to
the distance from Harrow. It was felt that regular monthly visits of a Mass
X-Ray Unit to the Borough would be of great value and negotiations were
therefore opened with the North West Regional Hospital Board to see if this
service could be arranged on a more regular basis. As a result it is pleasing
to report that it is hoped to arrange a twice-monthly visit of a Mass X-Ray
Unit to the Borough beginning early in 1968.
The second part of the in-service staff training dealing with mental
illness was held during the period January to March and, in addition,
members of staff attended various training lectures and seminars during
the year. Two trainee social workers were seconded to undertake the two
year training courses for the External Diploma in Social Studies and the
Certificate in Social Work respectively.
The routine measures established to promote and maintain the
health of the school child continued to work well during the year. The
majority of children have no health problems which could affect their
education progress but this does not mean that there should be any
relaxation in the routine work of detection. The growing interest in the
detection of defects at as early an age as possible in the pre-school years
presents opportunities for any possible correction of defects and rehabilitation
of the child in preparation for, if at all possible, entry to ordinary
schooling at age five years. Every effort is made to achieve as normal a
schooling as possible but if, due to the severity of a particular handicap
this is not feasible, then arrangements are made to provide specialised
education suitable to the child's specific disability. Special attention is
directed towards the detection of defects of hearing and vision which
obviously, if present, can have a considerable bearing on education
progress. Routine sweep testing is carried out in these specialties and
although in the case of vision these tests may tend to be too selective, this
in itself is not a bad thing. The fact that we are now seeking to detect the
finer and therefore more masked defects in the special senses is an
indication of the progress achieved in the school health service over the
past years.
Specialist opinion is sought in many cases found to have defects at
routine examination. Unfortunately, due to the retirement of the two
ophthalmic surgeons engaged by the Regional Hospital Board to cover the
local school eye clinics, some difficulties were experienced during the year.
In the new appointment the Board decided to link the school eye clinics
with sessions in the ophthalmic department at Edgware General Hospital.
The linking of the local clinics with the hospital is to be welcomed but,
unfortunately, the grading of the post was such that the response was very
poor. The person appointed only remained in fact for a few weeks and the
post was readvertised. No appointment had been made by the end of the
year, and as a temporary measure the Board were trying to secure a locum
to cover the eye clinics.