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SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
Introduction
In the report on the School Health Service for 1966 it was stated
that thought was being given to the wisdom of introducing a selective
procedure for the medical inspection of school children in place of the
previous system whereby children were medically inspected at fixed ages.
As the general health of children has progressively improved over the years,
the previous function of the service in detecting frank physical and mental
disability has changed giving way to greater need for the detection of
emotional and behavioural disturbances, speech and language disorders,
learning difficulties (including those arising from defective vision and
hearing), respiratory disorders particularly asthma, epilepsy and
physical handicap from trauma and congenital and hereditary conditions.
The responsibility of early detection of conditions present at
entry to school and arising during school life to a great extent rests on
the School Health Service and it has been felt that this can best be
discharged through a process of selection for medical inspection which would
involve the participation of parents and teachers as well as doctors, health
visitors and school nurses. Additional information obtained in
particular cases with the co-operation of family doctors and hospital
consultants can then be correlated with any learning, social or health
problem and appropriate provision made.
Accordingly a report was submitted to the Education Committee in
March 1967« This was accepted by the Committee and approved by the
Department of Education and Science. It was implemented in September
details having been discussed fully with the Chief Education Officer and
representatives of the teachers who, together with school medical officers,
were able to give considerable assistance in its final form.
In outline the scheme is as follows s-
(1) At school entry. All children to be medically examined.
(2) At ages eight and eleven a questionnaire to be sent to parents to
elicit information about conditions which might be missed at school.
(3) All school leavers to be medically examined.
(4) All children to have an audiometric screening test of their hearing
as soon after school entry as possible.
(5) All children to have vision tests every two years (to be increased
to annual when possible).
(6) All children found to have defects either at the entrant or selective
examination to be re-examined periodically for as long as necessary.
(7) The school doctor and nurse to visit each school at least once in each
term to be available to meet the head teacher and class teacherj to
observe children at physical education and to carry out medical
examinations as appropriate.
(8) Medical examination to be carried out on any child at the request
of a parent or when referred by a teacher following prior notification
to the parent.
The questionaire used is reproduced on the following pages
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