London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hillingdon 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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34
Personal Health Services
home nurse, and to a lesser extent the midwife, may be looked upon simply as a (cheap) surgery
nurse, and a lot of her potential be lost. However, nothing but good can come of the preliminary
steps tending towards a closer integration of the local authority and practitioner services to the
general public.
OBSERVATION REGISTER
An explanation of the Observation Register and its purpose in keeping under review those children
potentially "at risk" was given in the report last year.
The following table snows the numbers of those who are known to need, or it is thought may require, special arrangements for their care and attention, and also the total numbers of children on the register.
| Year of Birth | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | ||
| Defective Vision | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| Defective Vision with Mental Defect | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Defective Hearing | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| Mental Defect | 11 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 52 |
| Mongolism | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 21 |
| Autism | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Spastic | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 10 |
| Epilepsy | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | 6 |
| Heart Disease | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 16 |
| Spina Bifida | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| Congenital Dislocation of Hip | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 5 |
| Fibrocystic Disease of Pancreas | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | 5 |
| Diabetes | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
| Haemophilia | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cretinism | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Other Physical Handicap | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 25 |
| Totals | 37 | 50 | 37 | 43 | 19 | 186 |
| Total numbers on Register | 79 | 87 | 127 | 367 | 441 | 1,101 |
Total number on Register at the end of each of the previous five years was:—
| 1964 | 460 |
| 1965 | 557 |
| 1966 | 710 |
| 1967 | 928 |
| 1968 | 1,101 |
It will be seen from the above that the total number on the Register has increased to over 1,100
during the five year period, when the total live births were 18,942. As the incidence of handicap is
little more than 1 % of births, it can be assumed that the great majority of children on the Register
will not suffer any permanent handicap. An Observation Register which contains 1 in 19 of live births
distorts the picture and unnecessarily increases the administrative and clinical problems associated
with proper routine follow up.
In future years it will be necessary to look more closely at the criteria used in deciding which
children should be placed on the register, because if the total number becomes too unwieldy due to
the inclusion of many children whose at risk factors are questionable, then the time available to
medical officers for assessment will be restricted, and this should be avoided.