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by medical officers of children as mentally or physically defective was abolished and it
became the duty of the local education authority (i.e., at member level) to ' ascertain '
which children in their areas required special educational treatment. For this purpose
the local education authority have power to examine medically any child in their area
who has attained the age of two years. For the first time, therefore, the local education
authority was expected to examine medically, in the circumstances mentioned, children
below compulsory school age, and parents who, without reasonable excuse, refused
to submit their child for such medical examination rendered themselves liable to a
penalty.
A similar procedure to that indicated above was also prescribed by the Act to
determine which children in the area of the local education authority over the age of
two years were suffering from a disability of mind of such a nature or to such an extent
as to make them incapable of receiving education at school, with a view to such children
being referred for necessary action by the local authority under the Mental Deficiency
Acts. Similar provision was made for ensuring that children in attendance at a special
school who were suffering from a disability of mind should, if necessary, receive supervision
after leaving the special school.
In pursuance of the duty placed upon the Council under the 1944 Act to make
arrangements for securing that medical treatment should be free, the Council arranged
for free medical treatment in its hospitals, at school treatment centres and at voluntary
hospitals with which the Council, under previous enactments, already had arrangements
for the treatment of certain specified defects or illnesses. Steps were also taken during
1945 to ensure the free supply and repair of surgical appliances (including artificial
limbs) and spectacles and the free supply of insulin prescribed at voluntary hospitals
for pupils for whom the Council, as education authority, was responsible.
Authority was also given for the cost of emergency dental treatment by private
practitioners for the relief of pain during the evenings, weekends, and at other times
when clinics were not open, to be borne by the Council.
In consequence of the coming into operation on 5th July, 1948, of the National
Health Service Act, 1946, the Council's municipal hospital service was transferred to
the new hospital authorities, which allowed special arrangements for schoolchildren's
clinics to continue. Under this Act every child became entitled to free general
practitioner services.
National
Health
Service Act,
1946
Although the duty of the Council to secure the provision of free medical treatment
for school pupils was not statutorily modified by the National Health Service Act,
1946, administrative decisions by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education
have indicated the principles upon which the responsibility for the treatment of school
pupils should be shared between the Council and the hospital and specialist services
of the National Health Service. The essential underlying point is the freedom of choice
of the individual parent.
In London, the following categories of pupils are now submitted for medical
inspection :—
(a) ' Entrants', who are presented to the doctor as soon after admission as possible.
(b) Seven-year-old age group, who are seen in the term in which their seventh
birthday falls.
(c) Eleven-year-old age group, who are seen in the term in which their eleventh
birthday falls.
(d) Twelve-year-old age group. These pupils are seen in the term in which their
twelfth birthday falls only if medical records showing that they were inspected
at 11 years of age are not available.
(e) 'Leaverswho are seen in the term prior to that in which they will be leaving
school.
(f) Any pupils who were due for examination in an age group the previous year
but who were, for various reasons, not seen.
179
Routine
medical
inspections—
current
procedure