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105
LONDON BOROUGH OF LAMBETH
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
Report of the Principal School Medical Officer for Year 1966.
The School Health Service which is the responsibility of the Inner London
Education Authority is provided by the Health Department under an agreement
between the Council and that authority which includes the joint use of staff.
General hygiene unfortunately showed a tendency to decline. Contributory
factors were the acute housing shortage in Lambeth, overcrowded multi-occupation
and the very high number of mothers who now go out to work.
Plans are in hand for a new Inner London Education Authority audiology
centre to relieve the overloaded facilities at the existing audiology units. Closer
links have been established, through routines carried out by the I.L.E.A. social
worker, with the maternity and child welfare service and the Welfare Department.
SCHOOL MEDICAL INSPECTIONS
All pupils are medically examined as a routine four times duringtheir school
life, but numerous other examinations for special purposes are carried out. In
addition each child is inspected annually by a school nurse and may also be seen
on other occasions by the nurse.
Early in their school life all children are given an audiometric test for hearing
loss by a specially trained school nurse using the sweep test method. Those who
fail this test, or about whose hearing there is some doubt, are given further more
accurate pure-tone audiometric tests at a school treatment centre. Where results
are still not satisfactory pupils are referred to an audiology unit for further
investigation.
VISION TESTING IN INFANT SCHOOLS AND NURSERY CLASSES
During the year all school nurses in the Borough attended training sessions in
Sheridan/Gardiner vision testing technique for under seven year olds. As a
routine all children under this age, including new entrants, after the first term,
will be given an annual vision screening test. Children failing this test will be
referred to vision clinics for special advice. This will ensure that vision defects
in school children will in future be detected at an early age so that appropriate
treatment can be given.