View report page

Staff Health Service (Occupational Health)
It is anticipated that a comprehensive health
service for the council's staff will be introduced
during the coming year.
The council employs approximately 7,000
people engaged in more than one hundred different
occupations, who produce many health and
welfare problems and a staff health service will
play an important role in enabling staff to work
at their optimum efficiency.
The present scheme ensures that all newly
appointed staff complete a medical history form
and are medically examined on a selective basis.
Certain staff including those whose duties will
bring them into close and regular contact with the
general public, particularly mothers and children
or who are engaged in the preparation or serving
of food, must produce evidence of a satisfactory
chest x-ray taken within the past twelve months.
Home nurses, midwives, day nursery staff and
house parents in children's residential homes are
required to have a chest x-ray annually.
Existing staff are medically examined for purposes
of admission to the superannuation and
sick pay schemes and for continuing fitness for
employment after prolonged sick absence or when
beyond the normal age of retirement.
Student teachers and those teachers who are
about to be appointed to their first teaching post
are also medically examined.
Medical examinations of other local authority
staff have been carried out on a reciprocal basis
as in previous years.
During the year the following examinations and
assessments were made—
Medically assessed:
with medical examination 136 (73)
without medical examination 1,503 (1,346)
Left before completion of
medical assessment 100 (71)
Medical examination of existing
staff for purpose of admission to
the superannuation scheme, sickness
pay scheme or continued fitness
for employment 64 (80)
Medical examination for first
teaching appointments 106 (60)
Medical examination of other
local authority staff 9 (11)
Medical examinations carried out
by other local authorities 14 (-)
Medical examination of student
teachers 172 (175)
Figures in brackets relate to 1965
When the comprehensive service is established
it is proposed to extend the scope of the present
scheme by the addition of special pre-symptomatic
diagnostic tests for staff who are offered
appointments between 45 and 55 years of age.
At the request of the head of department advice
would be given on the health suitability of
personnel and hazards and stresses in certain
occupations. Disabled workers and those at
special risks such as sewer-men and rodent
operators would also be medically supervised. At
their request employees will receive a check up
and be given medical advice especially those returning
to work following severe illness.
The treatment of staff suffering from accidents
and sudden illness at work would be extended to
include the treatment of minor ailments and this
would be done in co-operation with general
medical practitioners and hospital authorities.
The advisory service to chief officers on means
of achieving a healthy working environment will
be extended and additional talks will be given to
young entrants on health and welfare topics and
interested staff instructed in first aid.
Dr A R Broadbent was appointed senior
assistant medical officer in September of this year
and is particularly well qualified by training and
experience to carry out this work. It is envisaged
that he will be immediately responsible for the
organisation and clinical work of the staff health
service and also for that of the student health
service which is described in this report under the
section dealing with the Report of the Principal
School Medical Officer.
Mental Health
Mental Subnormality
Owing to the shortage of mental health social
workers the improvement envisaged in the
services for these patients and their relatives has
not materialised.
76