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REPORT ON THE SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
DURING THE YEAR 1948.
To the Chairman and Members of the Welfare and School
Attendance Suh-Committee.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the pleasure to present my Annual Report for
the year 1948, during which period the work of the
School Health Service was further consolidated.
On the 30th September, 1948, one of the two dental
surgeons resigned and it has not been possible, so far, to
fill this vacancy owing to the greater incentives offered
in private practice under the National Health Service
Act, 1946. This has resulted in a serious limitation of
the amount of dental work carried out during the latter
part of the year, and at the time of writing there appears
to be no solution to the problem which is indeed nationwide
in its implications. It can be said, however, that
all children needing emergency treatment have been
given special priority although individual cases of difficulty
have occurred.
During the year, the number of Health Visitors was
increased to four, but it is probable that a fifth will be
required to deal with the considerable amount of work
which is involved. The clerical section was increased to
three and, with the provision of full office equipment, a
complete overhaul was made of our recording system and
office administration generally.
There were no serious outbreaks of infectious disease
at any of the schools due, at least in part, to the vigilance
exercised by headteachers and their staffs particularly
by arranging for the exclusion of all children with
" colds " and sore throats.
Clinic attendances have been heavy and once again
the tendency for them to be used as consultative centres
has been in evidence. Considerable work has been done
during the year in the treatment of nasal catarrh and
sinusitis. It is felt that many cases of bronchitis and
even more serious lung conditions are due to the neglect
of these conditions and treatment has consisted of
repeated local applications under continuous medical
supervision. Any success that may have been achieved
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