[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of].

  • Southwark (London, England). London Borough.
Date:
[1972?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark, Borough of]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/108 (page 24)
    Wherever suitable, the opportunity is taken to increase liaison with general practition ers, particularly in group practices, in preparation for further attachment schemes when the staffing situation allows. Handicap and Observation Register The objects of the register are:— 1 To follow up those children who are at risk of developing a handicap because of genetic, pre-natal or post-natal history and to observe their developmental pro gress. 2 To ensure that all possible help is given to handicapped children and their families. 3 To obtain all necessary information to help these functions to be carried out and to assist medical research. The information on which the register is based is provided by hospitals, general practitioners, domiciliary midwives, clinical medical officers and health visitors. The Senior Medical Officer decides if a child shall be included in the register and is respons ible for assessing the continuing reports on a child. During 1971 visits were made to all Infant Welfare Centres and 4,001 such reviews were made in consultation with the health visitors concerned. In addition hospital reports were requested and received on children who were under observation. Children are removed from the register when they have been considered to be developmentally normal, retained if they need further observation and help or trans ferred to the School Health Service when they are receiving formal education i.e. nursery classes or specialised schools. At 31 December 1971 there were 2,860 children on the register, an average of 73 being added each month. The number of babies notified during the year as congenitally malformed was 68. Close liaison with the Newcomen Centre at Guy's Hospital has been maintained. Southwark bears 50% of the cost of a specialists service and provides a health visitor for the necessary follow-up for children and families in the Borough. The Deputy Medical Officer of Health and Principal Medical Officers conduct an assessment session at the Newcomen Centre and hold special assessment clinics at the child welfare clinics in the Borough. Reports from the Newcomen Centre were received on all Southwark children who attended the clinic and the appropriate recommendations were carried out. 24