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SCHOOL HEALTH
them that a reinforcing dose may be due. To minimise interference with the children's school work,
vaccination and immunisation are undertaken at the schools when the number of children is sufficiently
great to warrant this.
Employment of children
Section 59
Education Act 1944
Of 324 children examined, certificates were issued to 323 certifying that their employment would
not be prejudicial to their health or physical development and would not render them unfit to obtain
proper benefit from their education. A further seven children were examined and granted certificates
enabling them to take part in entertainments.
The Employment Medical Advisory Service Act 1972
Plans were in hand for this Act to become effective on the 1st February, 1973. In addition to its
other duties, the Employment Medical Advisory Service will have a special responsibility, in cooperation
with the School Health Service and the Youth Employment Service, for advising on the
employment of young persons.
The screening of teenagers for haemoglobinopathies
Certain types of severe anaemia in childhood are of a hereditary character and are relatively common
in the Mediterranean and West Indian races. Based on a proposal put forward by Dr. Wickes,
paediatrician at North Middlesex Hospital, a scheme has been evolved whereby blood tests are offered
to teenagers of the Cypriot, African and West Indian races so that carriers of anaemia may be
detected and have the genetic risks involved in marriage explained to them. Information about the
scheme is given at the school leaving medical examination to those pupils likely to be affected.
Explanatory leaflets and forms have been prepared in English, Turkish and Greek and discussions
have taken place with a Turkish Cypriot race relations officer and a leader of the Greek Cypriot
Community.
The consultant haemotologist at North Middlesex Hospital has arranged for the testing of the blood
samples.
Requests for information about the scheme have been received from medical sources at home and overseas.
Children in care
Five children's homes, under the control of the Social Services Department, accommodate 64 school
children. They are visited approximately six times a year by the Department's medical officers, who
advise on diet, health and hygiene and examine the children on admission and annually. General
medical care of the children in these homes and in foster homes is undertaken by general medical
practitioners.
The Department's medical officers also attend, in order to give advice, etc., two homes within the
borough which belong to the London Borough of Barnet and accommodate 21 school children.
Co-operation with hospitals
Information received from paediatricians at local hospitals about the special needs of certain children
proved most useful to the Department's medical and dental officers.
Once a month the Principal Medical Officer for School Health attended a paediatric assessment clinic
at the Enfield War Memorial Hospital.
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