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then the test at age 7 could be omitted. Meanwhile vision should be tested in the infants'
schools at age 7, and also as part of the second ('entry to junior school') periodic
inspection."
(i) Weighing and measuring
"Height and weight recording at present takes place as a routine four times during
each child's school life, at the times of the periodic inspections. Special cases are, of
course, when necessary, measured more frequently. The periodic special biometric
surveys are always ad hoc enquiries, unrelated to the routine measurements, so that the
latter can be considered on their merits. We consider that the height and weight data,
in the majority of cases, is of doubtful value to the school medical officer conducting a
periodic medical inspection, and that the practice of routine weighing and measuring
could be discontinued. The necessary apparatus should remain in the schools, and the
school medical officer could always refer for measuring any pupils for whom he
especially required the data."
(k)—School journeys
"The medical and nursing inspection of parties of children about to proceed on
school journeys is a practice of many years' standing. Whilst it is clear that, years ago,
this was a very necessary precautionary procedure, the question naturally arises whether
today, in the context of the present greatly reduced incidence of infection and infestation,
the expenditure of such a large amount of professional manpower is justified by the
remote possibility of detecting overt cases of infection. We consider that today there
are no longer any valid medical reasons for continuing the inspection of school journey
parties, but discussions held with the London School Journey Association have disclosed
that, in those cases where insurance policies are involved, it is necessary to have a medical
certificate before travelling and, in fact, numbers of such certificates are being obtained
from family doctors, when the Council is not able to arrange for the inspection.
"Accordingly, it would appear to be necessary for the present practice to continue,
the principles being that, as early as possible, particularly for strenuous tours, the Head
should consult with the school health visitor about the pupils proposing to travel so that
the school medical officer could be referred to in doubtful cases, and any necessary
treatment arranged, before the start of the journey. This would be followed by a
medical and nursing inspection prior to departure, the medical inspection needing only
to be a superficial F.F.I., and the nursing inspection confined to personal hygiene.
"With regard to pupils travelling throughout most of the year to Marchants Hill
and Sayers Croft, at which there are resident nurses, we consider that the medical
inspection prior to departure should be waived, but that the nursing inspection should
be continued."
(i)—'Nutrition' re-inspections
"Pupils receiving milk, meals or vitamins on the recommendation of the school
doctor, head master or mistress, or Care Committee are re-inspected each term. It is
clear that this continuation of long established practices amounts to carrying out a large
number of inspections not for medical reasons but in order to give 'cover' to the issue
of free welfare facilities. We suggest that a clear distinction needs to be made between
the doctor's advice to the parent about nutrients given at an inspection at the school and
medical treatment which is given at a clinic. That is to say that a 'recommendation'
at an inspection for nutrients, whether meals, milk or vitamins, is not a 'prescription',
which must automatically be 'dispensed' by the Head free of charge, but advice which
if accepted (as it should be) will involve payment of the standard charge. Abatement of
the standard charge is a matter for the Care Committee, and has no relevance to the
need, if any, for medical re-inspection. The school doctor will use the normal reinspection
procedure for bringing forward, any cases needing to be seen again on
medical grounds.
"Summarising, our suggestions are as follows:—
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