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50
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES
Medical Inspection.
Of the children attending the maintained schools 6,678 were
examined as routines (3,297 as entrants, 2,277 on leaving the primary
schools and 1,104 on leaving secondary schools), 3,503 at other age
groups, 2,974 as specials and 1,954 at re-examinations.
Treatment.
The same arrangements were continued for dealing with those
suffering from conditions for which the authority provides treatment
arrangements.
Minor Ailment Clinics: 2,971 children were seen at the various
clinics for the first time; 1,924 made more than one attendance. The
attendances at Broadway are the greatest. 236 children were seen
here in October as against 227 at Alexandra Avenue, 61 at Honeypot
Lane, 59 at Elmwood, 41 at Chandos and 26 at Pinner.
Ophthalmic Treatment: The same arrangements were made for
seeing those suffering from conditions needing the attention of the
ophthalmic surgeon. Of the 1,196 children seen by the ophthalmic
surgeon 547 were provided with glasses.
Physio-Therapy: The same arrangements were continued under
which children needing treatment were referred to the Harrow
hospital clinic at 76, Marlborough Hill. Here they can receive class or
individual treatment such as massage, radiation, etc.
Those needing the opinion of the orthopaedic surgeon were seen
by the consultant who attends monthly. Those requiring operative
treatment were referred mostly under the care of the orthopaedic surgeon
at the Stanmore Orthopaedic hospital. Altogether 155 school children
were treated at the clinic.
Dental Services: There was no change during the year in the
arrangements for dental treatment. With the growing number of
school children and the increasing number receiving treatment under
the maternity and child welfare arrangements, the staff of dental officers
is proving more than ever inadequate to cover the ground. The interval
between the school dental inspections is becoming longer with the result
that the mouths of those examined are found to be in that much the
worse condition, necessitating more time of the dental officer for the
treatment of each child.
It is, too, most desirable that there should be a superintendent
dental officer for the area. Expansion of the service, even that necessary
to restore it to its former standard of efficiency, is held up not by any
difficulty in obtaining staff, but by the failure to obtain the accommodation
in which the staff to be appointed can work.
14,078 children were examined in the periodic age groups, a
further 1,444 as specials. Of the 10,171 found to require treatment,
7,290 were treated under the Authority's arrangements, these children
putting in 14,113 attendances. 148 half-days were devoted to inspection,
1,902 to treatment. Fillings totalled 12,067 and extractions 9,505.