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Early in 1926, 58, Pelham Road, became vacant through
the transfer of the Education Offices to more central premises
and the rooms on the ground floor were adapted for the
purposes of a dental clinic. A well-lighted operating room
with an electric dental engine, a "recovery" room, and a
large waiting room were provided. The improved working
conditions have been beneficial both to patients and staff.
(c) Payment Schemes at the Clinics:—In considering
estimates for 1926-7, the Local Education Authority gave
very careful consideration to the complete schemes of medical
inspection and treatment and a special sub-committee was
appointed to investigate. The amount spent in 1925-6 on
inspection and treatment of children in public elementary
schools was £2,552 3s. 6d., and the average amount recovered
from parents in payments for treatment over the previous
5 years was approximately £150 per annum. The cost per
child in Wimbledon was 8s. 3d. Was this money being expended
to the best advantage?
It was decided that the scheme of Inspection could not
be reduced or simplified. In regard to Treatment it was felt
that the duty placed on the Authority under Section 81 (1)
of the Education Act, 1921, should be further considered.
That section of the Act requires that, where a local education
authority provide for the medical treatment of children attending
any school, there shall be charged to the parent of
every child in respect of any treatment provided for that
child such an amount, not exceeding the cost of treatment,
as may be determined by the local education authority.
Circular 1300 of the Board of Education, dated 16th
March, 1923, contains further information on the working
of this Section 81 (1). While it is recognised that no child
should be deprived of treatment on account of the inability
of its parents to pay for it, it is emphasised that "some scale
of charges for parents whose income is over the limit for free
treatment is necessary. The income scale and the charges
should naturally be related." Income scale and charges depend
largely on local conditions and are left to the Local
Authorities concerned.
At the Wimbledon School Clinic the charges for treatment
were very small. Minor ailments were treated free;
vision testing was free, but parents paid cost price for spectacles;
dental treatment was 1s. per child, plus 1s. extra for
general anæsthetic; and the cost to the parent of operative
treatment for tonsil and adenoid cases rarely exceeded 7s. 6d.
per child. The total amount recovered in payment annually
has already been stated. From 1923 onwards, a box had
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