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MEDICAL INSPECTION
Under Section 48 of the Education Act, 1944, it is the duty of every local
education authority to provide for the medical inspection, at appropriate intervals,
of pupils in attendance at any school or county college maintained by them. The
local education authority also has power to provide inspection of senior pupils in
any other educational establishment maintained by them. The authority may require
pupils to undergo medical inspection in the absence of reasonable excuse.
The primary reason for medical inspection is to ensure fitness of school children
to benefit from the education provided. This is achieved by the early detection of
any defect with subsequent referral for treatment, either by the family doctor or
the School Health Service. It also provides an opportunity for parents to discuss
with the medical officer any problems regarding behaviour or difficulty at school or
at home and for the medical officer to suggest preventive measures against predictable
illness.
The arrangements in Enfield are for medical inspection to be carried out on
school entry, at ten years of age, and at school leaving age. There is also a vision
test at eight years of age. Children in nursery classes are examined twice a year.
Although there is no statutory duty for the local education authority to provide
medical services in technical colleges, medical officers are available to visit, mainly
in a consultative capacity, the two colleges in the borough. Regular visits on
request were made to Southgate Technical College and 217 students consulted the
medical officer, had medical examinations, or vision tests. In addition, the audiometer
operator tested 207 students and advised two students to consult their general
practitioners regarding hearing loss.
The Mass Radiography Unit visited both colleges in the autumn, and 271
students from the Enfield College and 290 from Southgate College availed themselves
of this opportunity for a chest X-ray. Of these, six students were recalled
for further X-ray examination. One was found to be normal, one is still under
investigation and not yet classified, one had scoliosis, one a diaphragmatic abnormality,
one requires occasional clinic supervision, and one failed to attend for further
X-ray.
In December, 1969. the number of pupils on the register of maintained primary
and secondary schools, including nursery and special schools, was 39,845.
During the year 11,887 children were examined at routine medical inspection
and two were found to come within the official category of unsatisfactory physical
condition, which is a summing up of the medical officer's opinion of the child's
physical fitness. Both children were grossly obese and were referred for further
medical attention. In addition to those examined at routine medical inspection.
3,686 children had vision tests.
107