[Report 1954] / School Medical Officer of Health, Breconshire County Council.

  • Breconshire (Wales). County Council.
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / School Medical Officer of Health, Breconshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BRECONSHIRE EDUCATION COMMITTEE. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present to you the 44th Annual Report on the School Medical Service and its work during the year ending 31st December, 1954. During the year 2,330 children were medically inspected who were attending the Primary Schools and 1,419 attending the County Grammar and Secondary Schools, compared with 2,954 and 1,221 respectively in 1953. The arrangements of the age-groups of school children for medical examination were altered during 1953, as permitted by the School Health Services and Handicapped Pupils Regulations, 1953. This alteration of age-groups was continued during 1954 and such arrangement seems to have justified itself and appears to have worked satisfactorily. It is interesting to observe that the school nurses performed nearly 40,000 school nursing inspections during the year, which is equivalent to every child being examined on the average four times during the year. It is gratifying to note that of the Primary School children examined during the year by the school medical staff, 97.8% were found to have satisfactory health, and only 2 2% were found to be below par. The figures corresponding for the Secondary Modern and County Grammar School children vary only slightly from the Primary School figures, being 94.6% satisfactory, and 5.4% below the requisite standard needed. Handicapped Pupils—Special Schools.—In the Tables VII and VIII appended to this report, will be found full details of handi- capped children in the County for whom places have been found in Special Schools. Penoyre Open Air Residential School for Delicate Pupils. During the year, six children—all delicate—were admitted to this school, and eleven pupils were discharged. On the 31st December, 1954, six pupils were still resident at the school. I feel, however, that if the school could compel retention of such delicate and handicapped pupils, greater benefit to the child from a more prolonged stay would ensue. As things stand at present a child can be admitted on medical recommendations today, and can discharge him or herself tomorrow, despite all protests, and contrary to all medical advice.