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161
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
The Borough has a duty to provide for the medical inspection
at appropriate intervals, and to make arrangements for securing
the provision of free medical and dental treatment of pupils in
attendance at maintained schools. The School Health Service,
under the direction of the Principal School Medical Officer,
administers these services on behalf of the Borough.
It is the aim of the School Health Service, in collaboration
with the Education Department, to be satisfied by means of these
medical examinations that every child is able to receive the type
of education best suited to his age, aptitude and ability.
On his appointment as Senior Medical Officer, Dr. P. A.
Currie pursued the policy of close liaison with the Head Teachers
and was able, during the course of the year, to visit at least once,
all maintained schools in the Borough.
These are 34 secondary (including 2 direct grants) and 86
primary schools in the Borough; also 3 special day schools for
educationally subnormal children.
In January there were 45,551 pupils (an increase of 777) on
the registers of the maintained primary, secondary, special and
nursery schools.
Routine Medical Inspections have continued to be given to
all pupils entering the Infants' Schools, and are repeated when
they reach the age of ten years and fourteen years. In addition,
at eight years of age pupils are given routine tests of vision and
hearing only; a full medical examination is only undertaken at
this age if, for any reason, it appears necessary.
It will be recalled that some difficulty had occasionally been
experienced in obtaining the required standards for accurate
vision testing in Schools. However, following the provision to all
Health Visitors of an Occluder and 2 (different) Vision Testing
Charts, these examinations have been facilitated.
If at any time during a child's school career, the Head
Teacher, Parent or Doctor is concerned about the health of a
particular child, arrangements are made for a special examination
to be carried out. Independent Schools may also participate in
the School Health Service.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to complete the programme
of Routine Medical Inspections envisaged at the beginning
of the year. This was due to the fact that the complement
of Medical Officers was only at total strength for approximately
one month during the year. In spite of the shortage of Medical
Officers, however, the very important preventive health measure
of B.C.G. Vaccination against Tuberculosis was given priority
in order to complete the programme during the spring and
autumn terms.