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6
The end of the year, and more especially the beginning of 1953
brought a threat to the continuance of the specialist clinics in their
present form. The Regional Hospital Board appears to envisage
the absorption of these clinics into the general hospital service
which would appear to be a very great pity. A new system has
been operated in order to communicate the findings of specialists
in the School Health Service to the family doctors in regard to their
own patients.
The preventive aspect of Child Guidance in seeking out
behaviour difficulties in pre-school children has proved well worth
while. A reference is made in the report of the Educational
Psychologist to the new departure in starting voluntary classes for
adolescent illiterates and with promising results.
Unfortunately difficulties continue in regard to the routine
chest X-ray examination of school -staff on appointment, and the
Local Education Authority will apparently not approve the payment
of travelling expenses of such staff when attending a Mass
Radiography Unit.
The Medical Research Council's Field Trials with B.C.G.
appear to be promising and the follow-up period has now been
reached with good attendances even though the participants have
left school. The Mass Radiography Unit is to re-visit the Town
in 1953 and a good acceptance rate has already been recorded both
for staff and children.
A special report is contributed by one of the organisers of
physical training, and bears tribute to the excellent work done in
Walthamstow through many years.
The provision of school meals reached a percentage of 45 and
of 75 in regard to school milk.
A special section is included with regard to the outstanding
achievement of the former Walthamstow Education Committee in
the provision of special schools for handicapped children.
It would not be proper to conclude this introduction without
expressing appreciation to the Chairman and Members of the Committee,
the Borough Education Officer and his staff, and not least,
to all the staff of the School Health Service, and all others who
carried out the work or helped in it, or who have contributed to
this report.
I am,
Your obedient Servant,
A. T. W. POWELL,
Medical Officer of Health and Borough School Medical Officer.