View report page

9
After negotiations with the H.S.A. and the H.S.F., the Council, as
from 1st April, 1946, agreed to accept vouchers from eligible contributors to
these organisations in full discharge of all payment liabilities in respect of
confinements in Maternity Homes or domiciliary confinement, including
ante-natal treatment, medical aid, X-ray examination or Specialist's fees.
The School Medical Service is now catering for a school population of
18,070 children, an increase of 2,461 on the previous year. Routine medical
inspections were increased by 84.1% and re-inspections and special examinations
increased by 65.9%.
During the year the pre-war practice of reviewing and revising the
lists of mentally and physically handicapped children was resumed. With
the co-operation of Head Teachers all old cases were confirmed, and new
cases notified and examined. Attendances at the various specialist clinics
were again increased. The position regarding the operative treatment of
tonsils and adenoids remains unsatisfactory. Owing to lack of adequate
hospital facilities, the waiting lists are large and undue delay in securing
treatment results. So far as is possible, priority of treatment is secured for
children urgently in need of operation. Every possible endeavour has been
made to ameliorate the position, without avail. The situation is not peculiar
to Ilford, as enquiry reveals a similar situation obtaining throughout the
County. It also appears that most of the hospitals in London have similarly
overburdened waiting lists. Reference is made in the report to the projected
provision of facilities for orthoptic treatment and surgical treatment of
cardiac defects. The newly-established speech therapy clinic is proving of
considerable value.
As indicated in the 1945 report, there is an urgent local need for increased
provision of day and residential school accommodation for educationally
subnormal pupils and institutional facilities for ineducable children. During
the year under review special classes attached to a selected primary school
were arranged. These already have proved to be of inestimable value, but
unfortunately all the available places are filled and a waiting list exists.
Whenever accommodation can be made available it is highly desirable that
further provision should be made, as, with the increased ascertainment programme
now operative, many more educationally subnormal children are
being certified. In point of fact, during the year examinations of children
suffering from disability of mind were more than quadrupled. Proposals
for the establishment of a Child Guidance Clinic have been made to the
local Education Authority.
During the year extensive repairs to the Central Administrative Offices
were necessitated by deterioration in the timbering which threatened the
safety of the fabric. Alterations and improvements were effected by the
provision of a cleansing station, an interviewing room and additional cloakroom
and lavatory accommodation for the staff. It was also found possible
to rearrange and improve the accommodation of the M. and C. W. and
stenography staff.
The Future position of the Borough's Health Services is largely dependent
on the awaited proposals of the Local Health Authority, the Essex
County Council, and the N.E. Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. The
latter has recently been constituted and will administer all hospital and
specialist services in an area including the Counties of Essex (except area in
Cambridge region), Herts (Hertford B., U.D.'s of Bishop's Stortford,
Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Sawbridgeworth, Ware; R.D.'s of Braughing,
Hertford and Ware); Middlesex (Edmonton B., Tottenham B., Enfield
U.D.); London (Bethnal Green, City, Finsbury, Hackney, Poplar, Shoreditch,
Stepney, Stoke Newington); County Boroughs of East Ham, Southendon-Sea
and West Ham.
The County Council are required to submit to the Minister their proposals
under Part III of the National Health Service Act which deals with
M. and C. W. Services, domiciliary midwifery, health visiting, home nursing,