London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Walthamstow 1934

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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22
to request that the Authority will give an assurance that their
arrangements will be modified so a,s to comply with this condition.
"(2) The acceptance rate following routine inspection is low.
This appears to be in part attributable to the fact that facilities
for casual treatment are very readily available. I am therefore
to suggest for the Authority's consideration the question of reducing
the number of sessions per week on which casual treatment will be
given, so that greater emphasis may be given to the conservative or
preventive aspect of the scheme.
"(3) The acceptance rate varies widely in neighbouring schools
of similar type in the Authority's area. It would appear probable
that in some schools the influence of the teachers is less effective in
this direction than in others, and the Authority might therefore
usefully consider what steps could legitimately be taken to obtain
an improved acceptance rate in those schools where the results are
at present disappointing.
"(4) As was pointed out in the Board's letter of the 9th
February, 1933 (M.316 A/42), the present dental staff is insufficient
to provide a complete service for the whole area. As a result of
the operation of some of the factors already mentioned, this defect
has been less obvious than might have been expected, but it may
be anticipated that it will be more in evidence in the future. The
Board assume that when financial circumstances permit, the
Authority will take steps to increase its dental staff, but, pending
any such increase, the Authority's attention is invited to paragraph
4 of the 'Conditions of a satisfactory school dental scheme
(Appendix B to 'The Health of the School Child,' 1932) where it
is pointed out that children who have refused treatment may, in
the absence of a sufficient dental staff, be excluded from the routine
scheme.
"The Board understand that during his visit Dr. Weaver discussed
with the Authority's representatives some matters of administrative
and clinical routine, and made suggestions which it has
not been considered necessary to incorporate in this letter."
The points raised in the report have been met as follows:—
(1) Three "Gas" extraction sessions are now held on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday mornings, one Dental Surgeon acts as
anaesthetist for the other.
(2) Formerly "casuals" were seen at specified times on 9 sessions
in the week. Under the new arrangements casuals are only seen
at 11 a.m. on the mornings of the "gas" sessions, so that those