[Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, Northampton County Borough.

EYE CLINIC The Ophthalmic Surgeon attended the School Clinic once or twice a week as required, by arrangement with the Regional Hospital Board, when the following children were examined :— Maintained primary and secondary schools . 501 Maintained special schools . 4 Nursery schools . 3 Non-maintained schools . 8 Pre-school . 20 Total . 536 See Table A., Part III., on page 90. An orthoptic clinic is held at Northampton General Hospital, to which cases are referred, when necessary, by the Ophthalmic Surgeon. Reports on 92 children were received from the orthoptic clinic during 1960. CONJUNCTIVITIS 15 cases were noted during 1960. This subject has been fully dealt with in the Annual Reports for 1948 onwards and is kept under constant review (weekly). CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC This service is shared with Northamptonshire County Council in the proportion of three-fifths to that Authority and two-fifths to Northampton County Borough Council. The total staff consists at present of a part- time psychiatrist, and recommendation has been made in accordance with Circular 347 so that a whole-time psychiatrist may be available. There are a whole-time educational psychologist, an assistant educational psychologist, and also a psychiatric social worker. A total of 62 cases was referred to the clinic via many channels, of these 41 were seen by the psychiatrist. The School Health Service referred 14, concerning whom a careful history and medical report was prepared and sent to the psychiatrist, and a copy of the same is sent to the child’s own doctor. In due course the psychiatrist makes a report to the pupil’s own doctor and a copy is sent to the School Health Service. Further attendances, if required, are arranged with a close liaison between the psychiatrist, the child’s own doctor and the School Health Service. There is difficulty in placing children in special residential schools. See Table E., Part III., page 92. SPEECH CLINIC This Clinic is held at 28 Billing Road, Northampton. 86 children received speech therapy during the period 1st January to 31st March, 1960, when the Speech Therapist resigned.