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(c) Maintain the service as it is now constituted and transfer it to the new National Health
Service with arrangements being made for Local Education Authorities to negotiate
with the Area Health Boards for the secondment or allocation of medical, nursing and
administrative staff to provide facilities for school children in its area.
Unless new legislation specifically makes other arrangements, the Local Education Authorities
will still have statutory obligations under the 1944 Education Act which must be discharged and
will require skilled medical advice and expertise. The third alternative would seem to be the most
appropriate one.
Medical Inspection in Schools
Under Section 48 of the Education Act, 1944, the Borough has a duty to provide medical
inspection of school children attending maintained schools in its area. Medical officers in the
school health service of the Authority carry out these inspections periodically in the schools,
other special inspections being conducted in the Authority's clinics. All parents are given the
opportunity of being present at every medical inspection of their children.
Periodic medical inspections are carried out as follows:
(a) Children entering school under 5 years of age are to be inspected as soon as possible
after entry into school and to be inspected again after reaching the age of 5 years
providing an interval of at least one year has elapsed between routine inspections.
(b) Children entering school at 5 years of age and over to be inspected during their first
year at school.
(c) An intermediate medical examination is made in the last year of the primary school or
in the first year of secondary school education.
(d) An inspection is made within the child's last year at secondary school, that is to say
the school year in which the child reaches its fifteenth birthday.
(e) Where pupils continue at school beyond 15 years of age, another inspection is made
at approximately 17 years of age.
In addition to these periodic inspections, the pupil may be inspected at any time at the request
of the parent, headteacher, or school nurse.
The total number of routine medical inspections of children during 1971 was 13,459; in
addition, a further 6,670 children were examined at special inspections and re-inspections at
school or school health clinics. In the Annual Report of the Principal School Medical Officer for
the year 1970, it was remarked that fewer routine medical inspections were completed in that
year than in the previous year (1969) due to shortages of medical staff. By the end of 1970 and
the beginning of 1971 this position had been largely re-couped.
At a time when there is a national shortage of medical practitioners, it is significant that the
Borough has been able to attract a number of young and enthusiastic doctors to its staff. As a
result, early in 1971, the Principal School Medical Officer was able to report to the Education
Committee that inspections of all school children could now be made in accordance with the
decisions formulated in 1965, and an assault was also made on the backlog of inspections not
able to be done in 1970. This work is continuing.
It is encouraging to note the number of parents who attend these inspections. Of the 13,459
children inspected at routine medical inspections, 9,915 parents were present, 73-6% of those
invited. At special medical inspections, 4,460 parents came with their children out of a total of
6,670 children being so inspected; this represented 67%.of parents invited. This is a high standard
of parental involvement; they do not give up valuable time for a worthless exercise. Many parents
wish to seek advice or reassurance from the examining doctor; some are present to support the
child on an occasion of some anxiety, or to take the opportunity of discussing points of medical
or educational interest with the teacher. The event, no matter what the ultimate reason for using
it, is an important one for parents and their interest must be maintained and enhanced. This
valuable opportunity for a parent, teacher and a doctor meeting is somewhat fleeting, occurring
only three times in the child's school career in most cases, but many schools are denied it because
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