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ADVICE BY MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Medical advice from the Health Department is sought by other
departments of the local authority for a variety of reasons
including the health of children and adults, hygiene matters in
Council establishments, and environmental factors affecting
health.
1. Advice to Social Services Department
(a) Adoption
Medical assessments of children for adoption in 1972 43
including;
Number examined by local authority doctor 43
Medical examinations of prospective adopters 94
Investigations into medical records of hospitals
and family doctors on natural parents, and
preliminary enquiries with medical hostories of
prospective adopters 63
All assessments and reports are scrutinised by a
Principal Medical officer who advises the adoption subcommittee
on all medical aspects of adoption.
(b) Fostering
Medical examinations of children prior to fostering 24
Medical reports on prospective foster parents 68
Reports and assessments are scrutinised by a Principal
Medical officer who advises the Director of Social Services
on medical aspects of fostering.
(c) Recuperative Holidays
The responsibility for arranging recuperative holidays is
that of the Social' Services Department. Advice on medical
recommendations has been provided in 404 cases.
(d) In addition, advice has been given on a regular day to
day basis to individual social workers on medical matters,
as well as to establishments, eg children's homes and day
nurseries on matters of health and hygiene. All children
in the Council's day nurseries are examined regularly by
a medical officer of the Health Department, and visits to
residential establishments and to individual homes in the
community are made by medical officers, health visitors and
public health inspectors as required, at the request of
the Director of Social Services.
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