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101
(re-inspections) as necessary, either at the school or by special appointment
at the school clinic. In addition to the routine school inspections,
arrangements are made to carry out special inspections of pupils, usually
at the request of a parent, doctor, nurse, teacher or other person.
The number of pupils inspected during the year at maintained schools
was as follows
Periodic inspections 7,621
Special inspections 1,449
Re-inspections 3,405
As forecast in last year's annual report, some modifications were
introduced in the standard procedures for the inspecting and advising in
the school health service. In the past the periods between the medical
officers' visits to school have tended to become too long resulting in
breaks in continuity in pupil's surveillance. Accordingly, in a few schools,
it was decided on an experimental basis to change the spread of the
general medical inspections which resulted in the medical officer visiting
the school more frequently, conducting fewer examinations per session
and therefore having more time for parent/teacher/doctor discussion
on selected pupils whose progress in school was causing concern.
Preliminary reports on this pilot scheme were favourable and it is hoped
to extend and expand the service in 1972.
Tables IV and V show the number of defects found at both periodic
medical inspections and special inspections and the number of individual
children found to require treatment or observation.
General Condition of Children Inspected

MEDICAL TREATMENT
Children with defects are referred to their family doctor, to hospital
for special opinion or treatment, or to the school clinic for treatment for
minor ailments and other special defects. These clinics, in addition to
being used as treatment centres are available for consultation purposes.
Here children are seen at the request of the parents or of the teachers or
for a more detailed examination of a particular child previously seen at a
periodic medical inspection in school.