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HYGIENE OP SCHOOL PREMISES
The system of inspection of school premises by the Assistant School Medical Officers
initiated in 1949 was continued. At the end of each medical inspection which takes place
annually the school doctor makes a full report which includes a wide variety of headings
ranging from the condition of classrooms, playground, sanitary and toilet facilities to
the school meal arrangements. Copies are supplied concurrently to the Education Officer
and Borough Engineer and it is found that this arrangement expedites whatever action it
may be practicable to take on a short term basis for implementing any recommendations. As
is inevitable where many of the schools are of old construction some of the more substantial
improvements can only await incorporation in long term plans.
The Council's policy of filling all future vacancies in the School Nursing Service
by Health Visitors trained under the Council's sponsored student scheme was continued.
During the year three Student Health Visitors commenced approved courses of training under
the auspices of the Education Committee with the object of taking appointments on the
school nursing establishment. They will eventually be engaged, like the Health Visitors
appointed by the Health Committee, in combined duties in the School Health and Maternity
and Child Welfare Departments.
NUTRITION:- Nutritional surveys were carried out on the same basis as in previous
years, and occupied a substantial proportion of the school nurses' time.
The Ministry of Education form 10b M (Subsidiary School Medical Record) was used
for all new pupils. The addition on the reverse side of a height and weight chart enables
the entries to be made both graphically and in figures.
It was again not possible to reach the ideal of a terminal inspection, though more
children were seen than in the previous year, (20,809 against 14,653). Despite the greater
number of inspections, fewer cases of suspected malnutrition were found (9 against 12 for
the previous year) and none were confirmed on further investigation. These findings are so
reassuring that they raise the question whether it would be Justifiable to incur any
additional expenditure on salaries or time of the staff to increase the frequency of
nutritional surveys.
All children of whose condition the school nurse feels doubtful are referred to
the area school doctor. If he feels in need of a specialist's opinion after his own
investigations he may arrange for the child to be seen at the nutritional section of
the paediatric clinic.
During the year 65 reports were made and dealt with in this way.
THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL NURSES
NUTRITION SURVEYS
Number of inspections 20,809
Referred to school doctors (suspected malnutrition) 9
Referred to school doctors (other conditions):-
Scabies Nil
Skin diseases 20
Ear defects Nil
Other conditions 35
Total 64
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