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To the Chairman and Members of the Education Committee:
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the School
Health Service of the London Borough of Merton for the year 1966.
In this second year of operation of this Service, since assuming
responsibility as a London Borough, many of the administrative problems
present during the initial year had been eliminated; the administration
was working more smoothly, and effective liaison had been
made, both with schools, and other agencies. This improved administration
was reflected in the increased number of school medical
inspections—14,078 in 1966 compared with 12,116 in 1965. There
was a similar improvement in school dental inspections which numbered
20,024 compared with 16,620 in 1965. Defects found at medical
inspections totalled 6,490, an increase of 343 on 1965, being a natural
result of an increase in inspections.
There were some staff changes during the year. Two School
Medical Officers left the Service, Dr. V. Feldman proceeding on normal
retirement and being replaced by Dr. W. B. James, and Dr.
Alison M. Batten returning to Surrey County Council being replaced
by Dr. A. R. Gonet. One Speech Therapist, appointed in the latter
part of 1965 resigned in February, but die Authority was fortunate
in being able to replace her. The additional post of Speech Therapist
provided on the establishment had been filled by the end of the year,
although the Speech Therapist appointed was unable to commence
duty until early 1967. In the Child Guidance Service, although it was
found possible to appoint a second Pyschiatric Social Worker, a third
post is still vacant. One Pyschotherapist was also recruited during the
year.
As a result of a measure of reorganisation of School Departments,
their number has been reduced from 83 to 74, but the school population
increased by 121. The percentage of school children whose
general condition was found to be satisfactory was 99.91 compared
with 99.98 in 1965, thus reflecting the continuing high standard of the
health of school children in the Borough: 19.35 of the 1966 school
population were found at routine medical inspections to require treatment
for various defects, mostly minor in character, compared with
14.95 during 1965.
As a result of notifications received of two cases of tuberculosis,
one of a pupil, and subsequently one of a teacher, two epidemiological
surveys were carried out during the year.
Regular hygiene inspections of schools had, in the past, only
been conducted in the Wimbledon area, but in order to provide a
periodic medical check on conditions in schools, and to enable suggestions
for improvements made by the school staff or visiting medical
staff, to be brought to the notice of the Education Authority, I instructed
the School Medical Officers to make these a regular feature
of their service to all schools.
I am grateful for the help and co-operation received from Mr.
R. Greenwood, Chief Education Officer, and his staff, from Head
Teachers, and from Secretaries of the many schools in the Borough.
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