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The Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of Haringey
I have the honour to present for your consideration, a report on the School Health Service for the year 1972.
Last year, the future of the School Health Service was uncertain when it was debated as to whether it would
remain as the responsibility of the Education Authority or if it would pass with the personal health services to
the new Area Health Authority. It has now been decided that the School Health Service will pass to the new
Area Health Authority and evolve in the future in close association with their hospital world. The Working
Party on Collaboration between the N.H.S. and Local Government has recommended a review of the School
Health Service. As a result of these changes we may see a new guidance offered by the hospital paediatricians
and other consultants dependent on the health problems seen from hospital rather than those seen by the
community. Whatever happens, interplay between school, community and hospital must be productive of a
new approach to School Health.
The hospital paediatricians, when they view the School Health Service from their vantage point, will almost
certainly have some criticism about the ever-increasing number of obese children who are a product of the
continued effects of over-eating and the sedentary pastime of television viewing.
The approach of the hospital consultant to the issue of free school milk for children in the age range 7 — 11, which
is now the Council's policy, may be different and in time there may be some lead to more clearly defined medical
criteria for the recommendation for free school milk in the interests of health.
There is always scope for progress and change and a visit to the opening ceremony of the new Moselle School
made me realise that the long established IQ test, which is valuable for assessing the capacity of the child to
relate to academic life, may have some deficiencies in its ability to estimate the child's capacity for the fuller
life because it does not include some cultural qualities such as the ability to appreciate music, colour and
rhythm, all of which have so much to contribute to living.
The well established British system of special educational treatment for handicapped children has aroused
admiration in many of the under-developed countries. In the course of time these countries will probably
establish their own services for their handicapped children and their services are likely to improve and advance
more rapidly if influential parents of handicapped children in those countries help to stimulate the evolution of
special schools. Unfortunately, however, there is some evidence from the School Health Services that a number
of people from the former Commonwealth countries are bringing their handicapped children to England to
arrange for their admission to residential schools here. This action must delay the evolution of much needed
services in their own countries and when a child is suffering from a hearing defect, the additional burden of a
foreign language must be an added disadvantage.
I am pleased to record my thanks to all those who have contributed to the work of the School Health Service,
to the Chairman and Members of the Education Committee and to Mr. Slater and Mr. Groves and their staff,
who have given us their usual efficient co-operation at all levels.
My thanks also to the teachers on whose enthusiasm and interest we are always dependent.
J.L. PATTON MB ChB MFCM DPH
Principal School Medical Officer
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