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8
The School Health Service now deals with a school population of 21,123,
and can be expected to increase still further. It is with regret that I have
to report a further decline in the efficiency of the dental services; we in
Ilford had the services of one full-time dentist and two part-time in lieu of
at least seven considered necessary. The condition of the children's teeth
is steadily deteriorating and the assistant school medical officers have an
exacting task in attempting to deal with the many requests for urgent treatment.
The number of attendances at the school clinics requesting urgent
appointments rose 50 per cent. over the previous year. This breakdown of
the priority dental services is a national problem.
Largely due to the enthusiasm of Alderman A. E. Cooper, M.P., who
also raised the question in the House, a conference was held with the local
dentists to endeavour to work out some scheme whereby more dentists would
work for the school dental service on a part-time basis. Unfortunately the
response has been very poor, even to the suggestion of a sessional fee double
that permitted by the County Council.
There has been a steady fall in the number of children attending the
minor ailments clinics. This is no doubt partly due to the fact that many
children now attend their private doctors as a result of the National Health
Service Act, and also to a rather spectacular drop in recent years of cases
of impetigo—131 (1947), 73 (1948), 43 (1949); scabies 43 (1947), 19 (1948),
5 (1949); and pediculosis 332 (1947), 209 (1948), 175 (1949). Probably
penicillin and DDT emulsions have as much to do with this as increased
hygiene.
Attendances at the various specialist clinics showed a small increase. It
is hoped in the near future to add to the facilities of the Ophthalmic Clinic
by the provision of an Orthoptic Clinic, to deal with the many cases of squint
that hitherto have had to proceed elsewhere or do without this necessary
treatment. The clinic will be held at the Mayesbrook Combined Treatment
Centre, but the provision of an Orthoptist and equipment is the subject of
negotiation between the County and the Regional Hospital Board.
There is no improvement, as compared with the 1948 report, in the
provision of facilities for the operative treatment of tonsils and adenoids, in
fact the situation is probably worse. There is likewise still a considerable
lack of day and residential accommodation for mentally and physically
handicapped pupils.
The Child Guidance Clinic was opened in January, 1949, at Loxford
Hall, under the part-time supervision of Dr. Burton as Psychiatrist. This
clinic has fulfilled a long-felt need in the borough, and has also been utilised
by the Juvenile Courts, who referred 19 cases during the year. Unfortunately,
there has been considerable change of staff and it is difficult to obtain
sufficient personnel, as child psychiatrists and psychiatric social workers are
almost unobtainable.
An interesting experiment at the Open Air School, the provision of i.
small class for spastic children, has proved a great success, and has been the
subject of favourable comment both by visitors from the Ministry of
Education and the County. In the past, many of these unfortunate children
have, because of their physical defect, been considered mentally defective
and either received no education at all or the wrong sort of education.
Furthermore, many of them need a special attendant for their simplest needs.
The class of 9 requires a specially trained teacher and an attendant, and is
quite insufficient for the needs of the borough. The results, however, are
most satisfying. The children concerned remain under the care of their own
specialists for any specific treatment required.
Part III Services as the successor to the old Maternity and Child Welfare
Service is now known, is probably the department which is most likely to
undergo considerable expansion when the public become fully aware of the
services it supplies. I refer in particular to the domestic helps, the
recuperative holiday scheme for individuals under section 28, and the
provision of sick room appliances.