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SCHOOL HEALTH
children referred to the school ear, nose and throat clinics, 22 are still attending
for observation; 49 were referred to hospitals for operation or other treat
ment; two underwent hospital treatment followed by observation at clinics;
thirteen were discharged following minor treatment; sixteen required no
treatment; and three failed to attend.
Five commercial hearing aids were purchased during the year, all other needs
being met by the issue of National Health Service body-worn and headworn
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 Chief Education Officer's efforts to appoint a peripatetic
teacher for this Borough have met with no success, so that an expansion of
this service has not been possible.
An induction loop and an amplifier have been fitted in one ordinary primary
school for the benefit of a partially hearing boy and a similar arrangement is
proposed to enable a partially hearing girl to listen to the schools' television
programmes.
Foot inspections
Regular foot inspections by the school nurses in all schools in the Borough
revealed 1,337 new cases of plantar warts from the 81,128 inspections undertaken.
An informative pamphlet is available to parents to assist them in
recognising verrucae in the early stages, and containing advice on treatment and
on the prevention of the spread of infection. (See Tables 43,44,45 and 46).
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. (See Table 47).
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 clinic premises 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.
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