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Incidence of persistent non-attendance at
secondary schools in the borough
A working party consisting of the children's
officer, the deputy medical officer of health, the
chief educational welfare officer, a senior
educational psychologist, the senior probation
officers and a psychiatric social worker at the
child guidance clinic was set up to study the
incidence of persistent non-attendance at
secondary schools in the borough. Twenty schools
participated and each head teacher answered a
detailed questionnaire orally and sent in a list of
persistent non-attenders in the autumn term of
1966, on an agreed criterion of under 80%
attendance.
The working party was still examining material
at the end of the year but the frequent discussions
at the meetings of the working party and with
head teachers had already borne fruit in a greater
degree of understanding of the problems involved.
Student Health Service
Following preliminary discussions with the staff
of the Education Department last year, a health
service for students and staff at Chiswick and
Isleworth Polytechnics came into operation during
the Summer term of 1966. This is in step with
a mainly post-war development whereby all
universities in Great Britain established such
services, having received an impetus from the
general realisation of the number of psychiatric
difficulties and suicides occuring in some colleges.
It has been found that approximately 5% of all
students have psychological disorders which
cause serious distress and prolonged handicap. A
further ten to twenty per cent have minor, but in
practice important, disorders which are often
transient but may need skilled help if interference
with effective study is to be lessened.
Overseas students coming to this country have
additional problems such as difficulties of communication,
personal finance, lodgings, nutrition,
clothing in relation to the climate, and differences
in life and customs. Stress arising from factors
such as these may give rise to psychological illness
requiring early detection and treatment.
The approximate student population of
Chiswick Polytechnic is 3,600 of which 600 are
full time and 3,000 part time, and of the 2,500
students at Isleworth 500 are full time and 2,000
part time.
About one tenth of those at Chiswick and one
third at Isleworth are from overseas.
Dr Broadbent, a senior assistant medical
officer who is particularly interested and well
qualified for this work, is responsible for the
administrative and clinical work of the service,
and attends each of the two colleges once every
week during term. As the service has become
known so the demand on it has increased and it
is already evident that as soon as additional
accommodation becomes available it will be
necessary to support the medical officer and the
two welfare officers and student tutors by recruiting
a nursing sister and secretarial help. Such a
team has already been accepted by students and
staff and it is important that the activities and
stresses of students are fully understood so that
by early diagnosis psychological and social illness
will be prevented.
So far this service is in its infancy, but when
accommodation and staff become available it is
envisaged that early in each academic year the
college medical officer, as part of the induction
procedure, would describe the student health
service and give general advice to first year
students on such matters as diet, rest, care of the
eyes, posture, exercise and relaxation.
Students will complete a medical history form
and be medically examined on a selective basis
in time for any necessary investigations to be
made not later than during their second term.
Where illness is discovered students would be
advised to consult a family doctor near to their
home or lodgings with whom they could register.
All students would be advised to undergo a
mass radiography chest x-ray and also an
ophthalmic examination.
Students will have access to the college medical
officer normally by appointment but this will be
dispensed with where urgent problems arise. The
medical officer will deal with the majority of the
students' psychological problems but in any cases
of special difficulty the services of the consultant
psychiatrist, psychotherapists and educational
psychologists are available.
Students are encouraged to be vaccinated or
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