[Report 1953] / School Medical Officer of Health, Holland County Council (Lincolnshire).

  • Holland (England). County Council.
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / School Medical Officer of Health, Holland County Council (Lincolnshire). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    9 REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL SCHOOL MEDICAL OFFICER By j. FIELDING, M.D., D.P.H. 1953. Mr, Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present to you the annual report for the year 1953, in respect of the School Health Services. The year was one of further progress and throughout the year we have had the services of a Senior Dental Officer. An Assistant Dental Officer resigned but the vacancy however was soon filled. The Dental Surgery in the Ferry House Clinic, Boston, will soon be adapted so that a second dental unit will be installed and it is anticipated that the new surgery will be functioning in 1954. Towards the end of the year the County Council gave per- mission to build a Dental Surgery as an extension to the Combined Clinic, Park Road, Holbeach. The appropriate Committees have a ready awareness and a sympathetic understanding of the onerous statutory responsibility which exists in providing a comprehensive dental service. In the fullness of time there may well be a need to have a staff of six dentists. Experience shows that usually one dentist would cover the requirements of 3,000 school children. It is pleasing to note that parents are anxious for dental treatment to continue during the holiday periods when the schools are closed. During the year 2,633 children were treated. The children made 5,188 attendances and 3,710 fillings were carried out. This was the first year during which we had the services of a whole-time qualified speech therapist. Teachers and parents have been most co-operative and special clinic sessions are well estab- lished throughout the county. Some progress was made in the field of child guidance, the Children's Psychiatrist attending at Ferry House Clinic, Boston, holding one session each week. This service can now be expected to develop. An expanding service does of necessity require adequate accommodation which I do not think will be found in the Boston school clinic. For the purposes of child guidance, the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board will appoint a Children's Psychiatrist to cover the needs of South Lincolnshire. It can be expected that this development will take place next year. The Physician will therefore be able to devote an increase of time to this difficult problem of establishing a modern service.