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THE SERVICE
The Service provides for periodic inspections of all children:
(a) for whom primary, secondary or further education is provided
by the Local Education Authority at any school or college
maintained by them, and
(b) receiving primary or secondary education under special arrangements
made by the Local Education Authority otherwise
than at school.
The treatment of minor ailments, eye, dental, speech, postural
and breathing defects, and of children with behaviour problems, is
provided at Clinics in the area. Attendance of children is normally by
appointment. Most other forms of treatment are provided by general
practitioners or the hospital services. There is close co-operation
between the School Health Service, general practitioners and hospitals.
MEDICAL INSPECTIONS
Medical inspections are carried out as follows:—
1. On entry to school for the first time (including a vision test).
2. During the year in which eight years of age is reached.
3. On entry to Grammar, Technical and Secondary Schools.
4. During the year in which 15 years of age is reached.
5. During the last year in school if not inspected in the previous
twelve months.
In addition, special inspections are carried out at the request of
teachers, school nurses, parents or other bodies when children are
thought to be requiring medical or other educational treatment, and
also on children to ascertain their fitness for part-time employment.
The schedule of medical inspections was under review at the end of
the year.
The statistics of medical inspection and treatment together with
other statistics are contained in the Tables in Appendices 'A' and 'B'.
AUDIOMETRY AND AUDIOLOGY
A sweep audiometric test is carried out by the Audiometrician
on six-year-old children attending primary schools. All children who
fail this test are referred to the school clinic for aural examination by
the school medical officers. If the hearing failure remains unexplained,
a second audiometric test is carried out by the audiometrician, and,
if necessary, the case is referred to the audiologist for further investigation
and possible referral to a specialist hospital department.
Details are given below of audiometric primary testing carried
out during the year:—
Number of primary schools visited 39
Number of children tested 2,546
Number of primary failures162
91