View report page

SCHOOL HEALTH
Children failing their hearing tests are referred for investigation to medical
officers or family doctors and may, following this, be referred to ear, nose
and throat consultants or audiology clinics although many require only
minor treatment for the conditions affecting their hearing. Of the 76
children referred to the school ear, nose and throat clinics, sixteen are
still attending for observation; twenty-one were referred to hospitals for
operation or other treatment; eleven underwent hospital treatment followed
by observation at clinics; eighteen were discharged following minor treatment;
six required no treatment; and four failed to attend.
Only two commercial hearing aids were purchased during the year, all
other needs being met by the issue of National Health Service body-worn
and head-worn aids.
Enfield children attending the audiology clinic in the neighbouring Borough
of Haringey are supervised by the peripatetic teacher of the deaf attached
to the clinic.
The Department of Education and Science has provided information on
the expansion and importance of this service, and discussions are taking
place on the possibility of more comprehensive provision for the Borough.
Requests have been received from Southgate Technical College for 124
students to have hearing tests and it is expected that these will be carried
out early in 1971. Two students from Enfield College of Technology who
were tested and found to have a hearing loss were referred to their general
practitioner.
Foot inspections
Regular foot inspections by the school nurses in all schools in the Borough
revealed 1,387 new cases of plantar warts from the 86,582 inspections
undertaken. An informative pamphlet is available to assist in recognising
verrucae in the early stages, and containing advice on treatment and on
the prevention of the spread of infection.
Inspections for cleanliness
Section 54
Education Act 1944
School nurses visit the primary schools each term in order to carry out
inspections for the detection of verminous head conditions and to secure
the cleansing of the person and clothing of pupils, if necessary.
Although 4,347 more inspections were made compared with the previous
year, forty-one fewer children were found to be in a verminous condition.
Medical treatment
Section 48
Education Act 1944
It is the duty of every local education authority to make such arrangements
for securing the provision of free medical treatment for pupils for whom
primary, secondary or further education is provided by them at any school
or county college or any other educational establishment maintained by
them as are necessary for securing that comprehensive facilities for free
medical treatment are available to them, either under the Education Act
1944 or otherwise.
Minor ailments clinics
Sessions staffed by a medical officer and a nurse are held at thirteen clinic
premises in the Borough during term time, and parents may take their
children along for advice on any condition, no appointment being necessary.
At many of the clinics nurses hold additional sessions for the treatment of
skin infections and minor injuries and defects. Some children are referred
to these sessions so that conditions found at periodic and special inspections
may be followed up; some are referred at the suggestion of head teachers
and school nurses; and some attend for periodic medical inspection, having
been absent from school when inspection took place there. Examinations
for the issue of employment and entertainment certificates are also undertaken
at these clinics. During school holidays special sessions, as and
when required, are arranged.
The total attendance at these clinics was 1,085 more than in the previous
year.
98