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latter part of the year was seconded for the purpose of assisting with schemes under
the Midwives Act, 1936, and her place is temporarily being filled by Dr. M. C. Polhill
as acting divisional medical officer. The remaining staff in this branch of the
school medical work includes one principal assistant medical officer for aural work
(Mr. A. G. Wells) ; ten part-time assistant aurists ; one part-time principal assistant
medical officer (Dr. Barbara Tchaykovsky); one divisional medical officer for
ophthalmic work, nursery schools, etc. (Dr. Elizabeth M. McVail) ; *21 whole-time
assistant medical officers ; 6 assistant medical officers giving six sessions a week ;
54 assistant medical officers giving three sessions a week ; additional temporary
medical assistance for 135 sessions a week ; 9 medical officers (part-time) at open-air
schools ; and 72 part-time inspecting dental surgeons. There are 264 part-time
doctors, surgeons and anaesthetists, and 102 part-time dental surgeons engaged at the
hospitals and school treatment centres under the Council's scheme. These last
appointments are made by the authorities of the hospitals and treatment centres,
each individual appointment being subject to the approval of the Council.
The other section concerned with the school medical service (Dr. Verner Wiley,
senior medical officer) includes the medical examination at the County Hall of
scholarship candidates, school teachers, etc., and the medical work in special and
approved Home Office schools. Dr. Wiley also deals with the work under the
Mental Deficiency Acts, the Blind Persons Act, and, together with a principal
assistant medical officer (Dr. E. J. Boome), the medical examination of the Council's
staff. In this section for school purposes are included the services of a part-time
consulting orthopaedic surgeon (Mr. K. J. Acton Davis); a part-time ophthalmic
consultant (Mr. J. M. Bickerton) ; two divisional medical officers (Drs. A. C. Williams
and Jessie G. Duncan), and a part-time medico-psychologist at the Council's remand
home (Dr. J. D. W. Pearce). The duties of consulting surgeon for aural disease in
this section are performed by Mr. A. G. Wells, while Dr. McVail carries out the medical
supervision of schools for the partially sighted, etc.
The new post of whole-time consulting dental surgeon, created by the Council
in 1935, was filled by the appointment of Major-General J. P. Helliwell, C.B.E.,
M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., L.D.S., who took up his office in February, 1936. His duties
are concerned with the development of dental services in all the Council's institutions
and hospitals, and are thus not confined to the school medical service.
The duties of Miss D. E. Bannon, matron-in-chief in the public health department,
include the superintendence of the school nursing staff in addition to the supervision
and organisation of the nursing and certain other staff at hospitals and institutions.
The school nursing service comprises at present five assistant superintendents, 62
nursing sisters and 345 nurses.
School building.i and equipment
A three years' programme of development adopted for the years 1935-38
includes the erection of 15 new schools, the rebuilding or modernisation of 40
existing schools, the enlargement of 4 schools, the provision of further accommodation
to meet housing developments, etc., and the acquisition of playing fields. A further
feature of the programme is the reconditioning of premises and the provision of the
amenities included in the new standard planning by a systematic overhaul of schools
in which rebuilding or remodelling is not contemplated or due.
At the end of the year 1936, considerable progress has been made. Eight new
schools or enlargements have been completed, and the schools opened. In three
more cases the building work is in progress or about to commence; in seven,
preliminary plans are in preparation ; and, in a further seven, the accommodation
and organisation are under consideration.
Of the 40 rebuilding or modernising cases, in two the work has been completed;
it is in progress in eight; working drawings have been approved by the Board of
Education in three ; preliminary plans have been approved by the Board of
Education and working drawings are in preparation in fifteen ; preliminary plans
* Not including two officers temporarily seconded for work under the Housing Acts (equivalent
substitutes authorised).