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VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Details of the arrangements for vaccination and immunisation under Section 26
of the National Health Service Act, 1946, are given elsewhere in the report. Under
these arrangements children, by the time they are admitted to school, should have
received primary immunisation; but consent forms for diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis
immunisations are issued to all school entrants in order to try to ensure
that all children whose parents have not yet taken advantage of the facilities available
may have this further opportunity. In addition, further consent forms for diphtheria
and tetanus immunisations are issued for children of eight years of age for reinforcing
doses.
Under Section 28 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, authority has been
given to local health authorities to offer B.C.G. vaccination against tuberculosis to
contacts, to staff likely to be exposed to infection, and to certain groups of children
and students including school children between their 13th and 14th birthdays.
During the year 1,045 pupils about 13 years of age attending maintained and
independent schools were given B.C.G. vaccination.
For various reasons the usual autumn term vaccination programme was
delayed. The number vaccinated in 1967 is, therefore, less than half the previous
year's total.
Of the 1,446 children offered B.C.G. vaccination, the parents of 1,195 children
(82.62%) consented to have a tuberculin skin test carried out. 1,051 (88.28%) of
the 1,188 children so tested were found to require B.C.G. vaccination and 1,045
(87.96%) of those tested were vaccinated.
In September B.C.G. was offered to students at both the technical colleges but
there was no response.
(See Statistical Table 61)
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN
In accordance with the Bye-laws made under the Children and Young Persons
Act, 1933 (amended by the Education Acts) it is necessary for a certificate to be
issued by a medical officer in the service of the local authority that employment will
not be prejudicial to the health or physical development of the child, and will not
render him unfit to obtain proper benefit from his education. The 457 children
examined for employment certificates and the nine for entertainment certificates
were found to be satisfactory. Power also exists under Section 59 of the Education
Act, 1944, to prohibit or restrict the employment of a child if it appears that such
employment is prejudicial to his health or is rendering him unfit to obtain the full
benefit from his education. No action was needed under this section.
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