View report page

infectious diseases in schools
When a pupil is absent from school and the cause is known or suspected to be due
to infectious disease, the head of the school notifies the medical officer of health.
These notifications are uncorrected for diagnosis but form the best available index
of the trend of infectious disease in the school community; they are the only figures
available in respect of diseases which are not statutorily notifiable.
When the number of cases of infectious disease reported from a particular school
indicates the possibility of an outbreak, special visits are paid by the medical and
nursing staff in order to investigate the situation and take whatever action is necessary.
The numbers of cases reported during the nine months to 31st December, 1965
are given below:—

Social work (School Health Service) and family case work
School clinics
This service, provided under the Education Act, 1944 was originally established by
the London County Council. The staff now involved, though recruited by the Inner
London Education Authority, are deployed by the Principal School Medical Officer
as an integral part of the Health Department team.
35