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

View report page

Richmond upon Thames 1968

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]

This page requires JavaScript

Table II.

Expectant and Nursing Mothers

Examined102
Requiring treatment86
Commenced treatment78
Attendances for treatment216
Fillings inserted142
Gum treatment28
General Anaesthetics5
Dentures supplied12
X-rays taken12

There has been an increase over the last three years of about 20% per year in the
number of pre-school children brought by their mothers to clinics for a dental check.
This shows an increasing awareness on the part of parents for the need for early detection
and treatment if necessary, of dental disease. A number of these young children
are referred by general practitioners who are aware of the special skills shown by our
dental officers in handling and treating children under 5 years old.
One hundred just five year old children were dentally examined for the Department
of Education and Science's Quinquennial survey. The examinations showed that
these children, who had only just commenced school, had a total of 184 decayed teeth,
53 extracted or missing teeth and 76 teeth filled.
Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act, 1948
There were 53 registered child-minders and 53 private day nurseries (including
one factory nursery) at 31st December, 1968, providing places for 1,954 children. All
these registered nursery groups were visited periodically by a medical officer and a
health visitor. The amendments to the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act,
1948, made in the Health Services and Public Health Act, 1968, provide for the registration
of persons taking one child or more for reward and for registration of persons
or premises where children are minded for two hours or more in any one day. This will
mean a substantial increase in the number of registrations, particularly for child-minders
and the full effect will be felt in 1969.
Local Authority Day Nurseries
There are three day nurseries in the Borough maintained by the Council for
necessitous children from the age of six weeks to five years.
Admission is determined by priority categories and the demand for places far
exceeds those available. There has been a waiting list for places at each of the nurseries
throughout the whole year and some children have had to wait for as long as nine
months before placement. It is a matter of regret that there are not enough places
available to do any preventive work.
Accommodation:-
Castelnau, Barnes 45 places
Parkshot, Richmond 53 places
*Gifford Lodge, Twickenham 40 places
*The Council has agreed in principle to upgrade this nursery to 50 places and it is
hoped to effect this in 1969. This increase, of course, will only partially relieve the
pressure for places as the waiting list has been as high as 77 children.
Children with defects are also admitted to the day nurseries to aid their development
emotionally, physically, mentally and socially.
Daily Minders
There were no daily minders receiving fees from the authority at the end of the
year.
25