View report page

Observation and Treatment
Children are referred for treatment by their general practitioners, and in some instances by the
school doctors, to many hospitals in the Greater London area, and the co-operation with hospitals is
encouraging. Hillingdon Hospital is most helpful in supplying reports requested and, in reverse, in
several cases during the year the Paediatric Department requested assessments of mental ability,
which we are able to supply with the full co-operation of the parents concerned. These assessments
take place at local clinics and are conducted by the Senior Medical staff. Where older children are
concerned it is usual to refer such children to the Educational Psychologists. All this work and the
exchange of information is well worth while when important decisions have to be made with regard
to the future education and treatment of children.
Unfortunately, the general standard of co-operation with general practitioners is not on the
same high level. There is a great variation between those who seek and give information willingly
and those who make no attempt to reconcile the value of the School Health Service alongside their
own family practice. I would add, however, that the latter type of general practitioner is in the
minority.
There should be little need to emphasise the importance of passing vital medical information
within the tripartite system of the National Health Service as the means of ensuring that every child
receives treatment as and when required, and that whilst waiting for any specialised form of treatment,
the child's needs are well understood within the school situation. Here it would be appropriate
to mention the Headteachers of the many schools within this Borough. During the course of the
year they are called upon to submit many reports on school children and are given many instructions
on how to deal adequately with children who have some particular defect. Headteachers and their
staffs must spend a lot of time compiling these reports and interpreting medical instructions, and
grateful thanks are due to them for all the effort that they put into this side of their work. It may
well be that, possibly, the Headteachers derive as much assistance from medical reports as the
School Medical Officers do from theirs.
School Clinics
There appears to be no doubt that parents value both the time allowed in a more relaxed
atmosphere for detailed discussion and advice about specific difficulties and health matters.
The role of the school clinic has largely changed from that of treatment to prevention of
disease. The minor ailments clinic of former days is being superseded by the consultative clinic of
today. There are no longer signs of primary poverty among our school children but in a few homes
poor management still prevails.
Number of special inspections and re-inspections carried out during the year: 6,357.
97