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59
BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PERSONS
During 1967, 118 (139) examinations were carried out by the Health Department for the certification
of Blind and Partially Sighted persons under the provisions of the National Assistance Act,
1948. This service is carried out in liaison with the City Council's Welfare Department which
provides welfare services for registered Blind and Partially Sighted persons. Forty-one (47)
certificates were also accepted from hospitals and other local authorities.
SCHOOL HEALTH
Section 30 of the London Government Act, 1963, places the responsibility for providing a
school health service upon the Inner London Education Authority; the day to day operation of the
service in Westminster is my concern as Principal School Medical Officer. For its efficient and
economical working, arrangements were made under provisions of the Act for the joint use by the
City Council and the Authority of professional, administrative and clerical staff and of premises.
The following report to the Inner London Education Authority was submitted in respect of the
school health services for the year 1967:
In addition to the usual arrangements made for sessions in schools to cover health surveys,
medical inspections, special medical examinations, re-inspections and school journeys, attention
is drawn to the following special features:—
Educationally subnormal children—There are five medical officers who are approved to
undertake the statutory examination of children who are reported to be educationally subnormal.
During the year 90 children were examined and 45 of these children were ascertained to be
educationally subnormal and recommended for placement in E.S.N, schools. Ten of these children
were deemed unsuitable for education at school and recommended for places in training centres.
Special Investigation Clinics—Children who require a longer time and more privacy than is
available at school medical examinations are referred to Special Investigation Clinics. Here a social
worker attends with a doctor and undertakes any necessary social work in the home. In 1967 there
were 116 referrals and 450 attendances.
Vision Clinics—The commonest defects found at school medical examinations are errors of
refraction. Children with visual defects are referred to special ophthalmological sessions. Three
such sessions are held weekly in Westminster, two are at school treatment centres in the north and
south areas of the City, and one at the Western Ophthalmic Hospital, Marylebone Road, W.1.
Immunisation—Parents are encouraged to take their children to welfare centres for immunisation
before school entry. During school life every effort is made to persuade parents to allow their
children to complete the immunisation programme recommended by the Minister of Health.
Sessions are held at schools or in local welfare centres as appropriate, and at the medical suite in
the City Hall on occasions.
B.C.G. Vaccination—The vaccination scheme for schools continues to work smoothly and
a total of 59 secondary schools and colleges for further education were visited during the year.
It is, however, disappointing that at some adult colleges, the number of students presenting themselves
for vaccination is very small and represents only a fraction of the eligible group.
School Medical Officers—Out of a total of 63 schools in Westminster, 12 are attended by
local General Practitioners, 16 by sessional medical officers other than General Practitioners and
35 by whole time Medical Officers.
Diathermy—The clinic for diathermy treatment of verrucas continues to be well attended and
expands from one to two sessions weekly as need arises. Five hundred and ninety-three patients
were seen during the year.
Handicapped Children's Register—A register is maintained of handicapped children attending
special schools or ordinary schools, and a careful follow up programme is undertaken for all
such children.