Derbyshire County Council

68 Salary Negotiations for Public Health Dental Officers T h e following circular was sent on December 2nd to all members of t h e Dental Officers' Group of the Society:--Dear S i r / M a d a m , - - T h e Officers of the Dental Officers' Group of the Society ask their members to consider carefully what action they take arising from the recent move by another non-deatal association (N.A.L.G.O.) to get authority to act on behalf of Public Health Dental Officers in the matter of salaries and conditions of service. Note with caution N.A.L.G.O.'s reference to " negotiations on Whitley principles " which is presumably to t h e existing National Joint Council for Local Authorities Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical Services. T h e British Dental Association has circulated a correct account of the recent unsuccessful conference with the local authority associations and is pressing o obtain from the Ministry of Health conditions which will enable a Dental Functional Council to be formed to deal with remuneration and conditions of service of all m e m b e r s of the professsion within the. National Health Service and the School Dental Service, similar to the proposed Medical Functional Council in which the British Medical Association would represent all branches of medicine. It is the essence of the case for public health dental officers that it should be considered with those for the other branches of the dental profession. This can o n ' v be done t h r o u g h the proposed Dental Functional Council under National Health Service Whitley machinery and any attempt by other bodies to represent public dental officers as a small section a m o n g local government officers in general will weaken the whole case for remuneration of public health dental officers in relation to that of other branches of dentistry. W e urge our members in their own interests to rely upon t h e policy b e m g pursued by the British Dental Association and other dental professional bodies to obtain a negotiating body for the whole profession on the basis of the Spens Report. Those of our members who have already tmwittingly signed a form authorising N.A.L.G.O. to conduct negotiations on their behalf are strongly advised to send a written withdrawal of such authority and to inform the H o n Secretary (J. v . Bingay, M.n.z., L.D.S., 60, Norbiton Hall, London Road, Kingsfon-on-Thames, Surrey) that they have done so. S. K. DONALDSON,"President. K. C. B. Wr.aSTER, Chairman of Group Council. J. V. BXr~GAY,Hon. Secretary, .~EFFREY FLETCItER. Hon. Editor. Members of t h e Joint Salaries Committee with the P.D.O. Group, B.D.A. D E N T A L OFFICERS' M E T R O P O L I T A N A N D H O M E C O U N T I E S SUB-GROUP President : P. G. Oliver, L.n.S. (Chief D.O., Croydon C,B.). Hon. Secretary : H. B. Fleming, L.n.S. (D.O., Twickenham M.B.). A m e e t i n g of the Sub-Group was held at Tavistock House on Friday, October 8th, at 7.30 p.m. T h e Sub-Group President was in the chair and was assisted by 31 members and visitors. T h e main business of the evening was a lecture demonstration by Dr. S. Blackman, M.R.C.S., L.a.C.P., n.M.R.E., Hon. Radiologist, Royal Dental Hospital of London. Dr. Blackman showed over 70 x-say slides on the screen and gave a graphic description of the conditions which each slide displayed. Most of the slides were of occlusal films which he emphasised were the most reliable type of x-ray to take in dentistry. He himself preferred to have the patient lying horizontal on a table rather than sitting upright in a dental chair. In t h e discussion which followed Dr. Blackman was asked what dangers there were from contact with the machine, or from prolonged exposure to the x-rays. In reply Dr. Blackman gave an account of the numerous dangers in the early days of x-ray work. Now there was very little danger, as modern machines were entirely shock-proof. There was no danger to t h e operator if the patient held the films. T h e operator should stand b e h i n d the x-ray tube out of the path of the rays, and if it was ever necessary for him or an assistant to hold the films in the patient's mouth, a dental film-holder should be used. In answer to a question about rarefaction, Dr. Blackman distinguished between radiolucent areas, which were normal structures allowing freer penetration b y the rays, i.e., the maxillary a n t r u m . A rarefied area on the other h a n d was one whose consistency h a d to be so altered as to allow the x-ra3m to pass through more freely, i.e., inflammatory destruction of the bone, an expanding new growth such as a cyst, and $o on. A vote of thanks to Dr. Blackman for his instructive address was proposed by Mr. Bingay, seconded b v Mr. Robinson, and carried b y acclamation.

PUBLIC H E A L T H , December, 1948 TUBERCULOSIS GROUP President : Dr. T. W. Davies (Chest Physician, Swansea). Hon. Secretary : Dr. R. L. Midgley (Med. Supt., Hawkmoor Sanatorium, Devon). A meeting of t h e Tuberculosis Group Committee was held at the rooms of the Society on Friday, November 19th, 1948. T h e President occupied the chair and there were present: Drs. G. B. Charnock, H. Villiers, J. G. S. McQueen, R. M. Orpwood, H. Selby, H. Vallow, C. K. Cullen, G. Lissant Cox, H. Ramsay, G. H. Graham, J. w . Wilson, W. B. Christopherson, T. R. Elliott, and R. L. Midgley. Matters arising: (1) It was reported that there had been a good d e m a n d for the m e m o r a n d u m on Staffing of Tuberculosis Dispensaries; (2) it h a d not been possible to obtain postponement of the date of acceptance of superannuation conditions. T h e Council representative reported that the Council h a d been asked to submit two names for consideration by t h e Central Medical Committee when forming its Tuberculosis Standing Advisory Committee. It was assumed that one would be suggested by the Council, so the Group Committee put forward t h e names of Drs. Cullen and Midgley, one to be selected. The Hon. Secretary gave a n account of the finances of the Group. T h e Joint Tuberculosis Council representative presented his report and a discussion followed concerning the future status of tuberculosis medical officers. No formal resolution was adopted. The Inter-Group Committee representative gave his report. A matter raised by the Metropolitan Sub-Group resulted in the following resolution b e i n g adopted for submission to the Council of the Society: " T h i s Committee recommends that the statutory obligation already in existence under Public Health Regulations 1930, Article 6, should be extended to include all institutions." A letter from the Metropolitan Sub-Group resulted in the adoption of the following resolution for submission to the Joint Tuberculosis Council : "Because it has not always been the case, and in order to obtain uniformity, this Committee r e c o m m e n d s that x-ray films of a patient should accompany his clinical notes on transfer to another locality. '~ After a discussion of the subject the Committee adopted the following resolution for submission to the Joint Tuberculosis Council: " T h i s Committee deplores the financial loss suffered b y a considerable n u m b e r of Tuberculosis Officers as the result of alterations in the travelling and subsistence allowances since July 5th, contrary to the spirit of the Act, and hopes that steps will be taken to secure redress." DERBYSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Applications are invited from Registered Medical Practioners holding a Diploma in Psychiatric Medicine, who have had training in child psychiatry, for the whole-time post of CHILD PSYCHIATRIST. T h e person appointed will act under the direction of the County Medical Officer. T h e inclusive salary will be £1,035 p.a., rising by biennial increments of £50 to £1,222 10s. p.a., together with a travelling allowance in accordance with the County Council's scale, which at present is as follows: cars not exceeding 8 h.p. or 1,014 c.c., £84 p.a., plus 1½d. per mile; cars exceeding 8 h.p. or 1,014 c.c., £96 p.a., plus l t d . per mile. T h e appointment is subject to the provisions of the Local Government Superannuation Act, 1937, or the National Health Service (Superannuation) Regulations, 1947, whichever is appropriate, and the successful candidate will be required to pass a medical examination. The appointment will be terminable by three months' notice in writing on either side. Forms of application m a y be obtained from the undersigned and should be returned as soon as possible. J. B. S. MORGAN, County Medical 0i~wer of Health. County Offices, Derby. November 9th, 1948. Public H e a l t h is the Official Organ of the Society of Medical Officers of Health and a suitable medium for the advertisement of official appointments vacant in the health service. Space is also available for a certain n u m b e r of approved commercial advertise ments. Application should b e made to the Executive Secretary o f the Society, at Tavistock House South, Tavistock Square, W.C.I. Subscription 3Is. 6d. per annum, post free, in advance. Single copies 2s. 6d. post free. Official classified advertisements are charged at 2s. per line or part of a line. M i n i m u m charge 16s. Telephone: Euston 3923. Telegrams: Epidauros, Westcent