London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bromley 1972
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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AUDIOLOGY SERVICE
Two Medical Officers have particular responsibilities in this field and I am happy to submit this report:—
All the Medical Officers continue to carry out sweep frequency tests during medical examinations at their
schools and give particular emphasis to these at the entrant routine medical examinations.
Whereas in previous years sweep testing in the eight year old children was also done by the Medical Officers at special Sessions, this service is now undertaken by the newly appointed Audiometrician. Following a period of training at the Audiology Clinic, these children were then tested with the following results.
| Passed | Failed | Absent | Total pupils tested | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Test | 4733 | (165) | 5095 | ||
| Passed | Failed second test | To own G.P. | Failed appointment | carried forward | |
| Second test of failures (362) + above | 133 | 69 * | 15 | 55 | 90 |
* Referred to Medical Officer in Department. Total number of sessions 165
Average number of pupils per session 31
We have maintained weekly diagnostic sessions at the Audiology Clinic at Beckenham where we see referrals
from Child Health Clinics, Schools, School Psychological Service, Speech Therapists and General Practitioners. In our
work there we regard the exclusion of deafness in a child to be quite as justified of the time allotted to us as is the
time spent in identifying and diagnosing a hearing loss.
Details of attendances at the Audiology Clinic are as follows:-
Number of sessions held 41
No. of children No. of
seen attendances
Over 2 years of age 76 84
Under 2 years of age 57 66
133 150
The Ascertainment Team meetings are now well established. They are held about twice a term when every
effort is made to plan educational provision to suit the individual needs of the child, and to make specific recommendations
to the Chief Education Officer.
The total number of sessions held this year was 7 and the number of children discussed was 47.
We hope the truth is not obscured by the cliche to say that the interest of the child is our only
consideration at these meetings and that there exists a stimulating and agreeable relationship between the members
in trying to fulfil this aim.
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