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6
PART I. MEDICAL INSPECTION IN SCHOOLS
The medical inspection of schoolchildren at fixed intervals during
their school lives has been an integral part of the development of the
School Health Service, and the following system of routine medical
inspection has been adopted in all maintained schools within the Borough
and in other schools which have requested it.
(i) Entrants
Children admitted for the first time to school and not already
examined as Entrants, i.e. normally between 5 years and 6
years.
(ii) 8 Year Old Group
Children in their second year in a Junior School, unless previously
examined in the Junior School.
(iii) Entrants to Secondary School
Children in their first year in a Secondary School.
(iv) Final Leavers
Children in their last year of attendance at school who have not
been medically examined in that year.
(v) Special Cases
Children of any age whom the Head Teacher and parents wish
the Medical Officer to see at his next visit.
Following a request from one secondary school an investigation by
the Head Teachers' Association revealed that a majority of head teachers
would favour the transfer of the third medical inspection to the final
year in the primary school. There would be no objection on medical
grounds to such a proposal, but the Committee felt that the change would
produce an excessive burden upon primary school head teachers. Moreover
the gradual centralisation of school medical record cards in the
central office (which has continued during the year in accordance with
the Committee's policy) seemed likely to result in a serious reduction
of the medical information available to secondary school head teachers
if such a change were approved. It was therefore decided that the present
system should be retained, at least until the centralisation of record
cards has advanced sufficiently to permit further experiments with
selective forms of medical inspection.
The Council accepted the advice from the Ministry of Health in
circular 12/65 concerning the use of ancillary help in the Local Authority
Nursing Services and appointed several additional school nurses during
the year. This provided much needed relief for the depleted school
health visiting service and permitted a greater degree of integration with