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The stumbling block here is the difficulty in recruitment of
suitable doctors for this kind of work. The salary range is not
only unrealistic but borders on the farcical as a newly qualified
assistant in general practice can command a salary almost
£1,000 a year higher than the Local Authority will pay him.
Unless an appreciable increase in salary is agreed for this
career grade we may be obliged to go on with depleted staff
relying on casual work done for us by general practitioners.
School Roll & Premises The school roll on 31st December, 1966 was 31,495. These
children attended 65 schools and the figure includes 90 at the
Ethel Davis School for physically handicapped children.
Medical Inspections 5,768 medical inspections were carried out in 1966 and of
these only 34 were seen whose general physical condition was
considered to be unsatisfactory (Appendix 17 Table A). In
addition 1,337 special examinations were carried out (Appendix
17 Table B).
Screening Tests of Vision and Hearing This service commenced in April 1966 and has justified our
early enthusiasm. Three technicians whom we have trained are
on the establishment and work exclusively screening vision and
hearing in the schools.
We now possess two transistorised audiometers and a Keystone
Telebinocular vision screener with a second on order.
The Keystone vision screener with which it was started, in the
hands of trained technicians, gives an accurate assessment of
a child's vision — both near and distant and shows if muscle
inbalance causing squint is present. It can be used to test the
vision of schoolchildren including those too young to read. In
cases where vision is shown to be defective or where any doubt
exists the parent is informed and can choose either to take the
child to our ophthalmic clinic or the family doctor.
At present children are 'screened' at 5, 8 and 11 years of
age and we are in the process of extending the service to
children of 13 and 15 in Secondary Schools.
Auditory screening, also carried out by trained technicians,
takes place at the same ages but as yet we have not tested
hearing in the Secondary Schools.
It should be possible to achieve the aim set out in last
year's report of testing vision annually and hearing four times
during school life.
It is realised that vision screening in Secondary Schools