London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Croydon 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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reality. Arrangements have been made for school medical officers
to visit each infant school at least once every term and so
permit a closer relationship between the teacher and the medical
officer at a particularly important stage in the child's development.
In addition a number of medical officers now visit schools
at other times and this provides an opportunity for the discussion
of particular problems affecting individual children.
Table 1. Numbers seen at Medical Inspections, 1965
| Routine Inspections | 16,712 | |
| Special Inspections:- | ||
| at school medical sessions | 525 | |
| at inspection clinics | 17 | |
| 542 | ||
| Reinspections- | ||
| at school medical sessions | 982 | |
| at inspection clinics | 981 | |
| 1,963 | ||
Although precisely comparable figures for previous years are
not available, the proportion of school children who were
medically examined in 1965 compares favourably with the recent
experience of the constituent authorities. Similarly, the proportion
of parents who attended the medical inspection (Table 2)
is comparable with earlier years and indicates a continuing
interest in the Service. Experimental evidence suggests that
many parents are anxious that the regular examination of their
children should continue.
Table 2. Attendances of Parents at School Medical Inspections
| London Borough | County Borough | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1964 | 1963 | ||||
| Boys | Girls | Boys | Girls | Boys. | Girls | |
| Entrants | 88.1% | 85.2% | 89.5% | 90. 8% | 83.3% | 83.5% |
| Leavers | 4.3% | 8.0% | 2.9% | 10.1% | 4.1% | 9.3% |
| Others | 58.3% | 59.8% | 50.9% | 58.0% | 52.8% | 51.3% |
| Total Number of Children Examined | 8, 180 | 8,532 | 7,174 | 5,624 | 5,963 | 6,843 |
| Total Attendance of Parents | 54.5% | 52.% | 49.0% | |||