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for treatment because of visual defects and 36 pupils (1.3%) were
referred for treatment because of hearing defects.
Follow-up examinations, referrals to General Practitioners,
specialist clinics and to Hospital Consultants were arranged as
and when necessary. Further details of these examinations will be
found later in the report.
It will be appreciated that Medical Officers devote about half
of their time to the School Health Service. The arrangement of
identification of an area based around the Child Health Clinics
has worked very satisfactorily, as it enabled a continuity of service
to be given to the family.
As was noted in the Report for the year 1970, a number of
medical examinations had to be postponed until the following
year due to the shortage of Medical Officers. However, owing
to an even greater shortage of Medical Officers during 1971, the
year ended with yet another backlog of work. The appointment
of a Audiometrician, who commenced her duties in September,
will relieve the Medical Officers of the duty to carry out Hearing
and Vision tests of the eight-year-old children, and this will
certainly ease the situation. One continues to hope that the
outstanding vacancies for Medical Officers will be filled and as
a result the annual programme of medical examinations completed.
An intensive programme was carried out of Rubella vaccinations
which has resulted in the completion of a programme to
offer this protection to girls in the three age groups who were
born in 1957, 1958 and 1959. The result of this is that following
the Ministry's recommendation that this protection should be
provided for girls between their 11th and 14th birthday, the
youngest age group possible can now be offered this protection
annually. Details are given later in this report.
It is opportune at this point to recognise the great cooperation
and goodwill which is extended to the School Health
Service by the Head Teachers and staff of schools within the
Borough, when medical examinations are carried out. This
enabled the maximum number of children to be seen, which is
especially to be remembered where real difficulties of accommodation
exist.
In conclusion, the most significant change which has occurred
this year has been the amendment of the Education Act; further
details regarding this are reported under Handicapped Pupils.