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6
Staff
The administrative work of the public health department in connection with
the school medical service falls mainly within the general public health division,
which is directed by a principal medical officer (Dr. W. A. Daley), though matters
in regard to infectious disease in school are dealt with by the principal medical
officer of the special hospitals division (Dr. J. A. H. Brincker), who has the assistance
of a principal assistant medical officer for these duties.
The work is organised in two main sections.
One of these, of which the senior medical officer in charge is Dr. C. J. Thomas,
embraces the medical and dental inspection of school children, the medical
and dental treatment and cleansing of school children, open-air schools and general
school hygiene. For purposes of routine medical inspection, etc., London is divided
into five divisions, each under a divisional medical officer, viz.: north-west, north,
north-east, south-east and south-west. The remaining staff in this branch of the
school medical work includes one principal assistant medical officer for aural work;
9 part-time assistant aurists; one part-time principal assistant medical officer; one
divisional medical officer for ophthalmic work, nursery schools, etc.; *21 whole-time
assistant medical officers; 5 assistant medical officers giving six sessions a week; 56
assistant medical officers giving three sessions a week ; additional temporary medical
assistance for 120 sessions a week ; 9 medical officers (part-time) at open-air schools ;
and 77 part-time inspecting dental surgeons. There are 251 part-time doctors, surgeons
and anaesthetists, and 112 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, with the exception that
at Lissonia treatment centre, established in the Marylebone Health Centre, No. 2,
and the South Hammersmith centre, which were opened during the year, the medical
and dental staff is now appointed directly by 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, the medical examination of the Council's staff. In this
section for school purposes are included the services (part-time) of the Council's
consulting orthopaedic surgeon; a part-time ophthalmologist; two divisional
medical officers, and a part-time medico-psychologist at the Council's remand home.
The duties of consulting surgeon for aural disease in this section are performed by a
principal assistant medical officer attached to Dr. Thomas' section, while a divisional
medical officer in the same section carries out the medical supervision of schools
for the partially sighted.
The oversight of the school dental service is performed by the whole-time consulting
dental surgeon to the Council. 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 the matron-in-chief in the public health department, include the
superintendence of the school nursing staff. A principal matron supervises the school
nursing service, which comprises at present, 5 assistant superintendents, 57 nursing
sisters and 365 nurses.
School buildings and equipment
The three years' programme of development adopted for the years 1935-38,
included 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
* Not including two officers temporarily seconded for work under the Housing Acts (equivalent
substitutes authorised).