View report page

7
brief summary of those defects discovered at school medical inspections
which are thought to have an educational significance. These summaries
are intended for insertion on the child's educational record card in those
schools which no longer keep medical records due to the gradual centrar
lization of such records. It is noticeable that these summaries are becoming
longer as more and more defects are seen to have educational repercussions.
Modern opinion in the Teaching Profession suggests that
many factors may have an effect upon learning and that it is essential for
the teacher to be fully informed about such factors. Those who refer to
medical defects with an educational significance as if these were few in
number reveal a limited understanding of the role of a modern School
Health Service, which should seek to be the essential link between the
Teaching and Medical professions.
Table I. Numbers seen at Medical Inspections 1967
Routine Inspections — 17,062
Special Inspections —
at school medical sessions 534
at inspection clinics 45
579
Reinspections
at school medical sessions 3,202
at inspection clinics 753
3,955
The number of children who were medically examined in 1967 is
similar to that in the previous year. There was a marked shift in the
place of reinspections. Previously children who were followed up by
the medical officer were seen at special inspection clinics, but there
has been a noticeable trend for these children to be seen in school
with a consequent reduction in the amount of school time lost. The
number of these reinspections shows a significant increase and confirms
the observations made in last year's report that school medical
officers are now supervising defects which might formerly have been
referred for specialist investigation and supervision.
The proportion of parents who attended the inspections remained
stationary, and the high proportion of parents who continue to attend
the first medical inspection gives cause for satisfaction.