[Report 1958] / School Medical Officer of Health, Bedfordshire County Council.

  • Bedfordshire (England). County Council. n 50055519.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1958] / School Medical Officer of Health, Bedfordshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/58 (page 12)
    dealt with by the Authority, Number of Cases .seen by Ophthalmic Surgeons Errors of refraction, including squint 1,589 Number of pupils for whom spectacles were prescribed 1,282 Replacement or Repair of G-lasses for Schoolchildren The National Health Service (Supplementary Ophthalmic Services) Regulations, 1948, provide for the replacement or repair of school- children* s glasses by opticians without seeking the prior approval of the Local Ophthalmic Services Committee and without asking for the pay- ment of a deposit by the parent or guardian. This service ensures that, v/hen necessary, children's glasses are repaired or replaced with- out delay. Parents may obtain forms for the replacement or repair of glasses for schoolchildren from head teachers and school nurses or from the Health Department, The parent or guardian or othet person having charge of the pupil is required to give a brief statement on the form of the cause of loss or damage. If, on investigation of the circumstances necessitating the replace- ment of the glasses, the Ophthalmic Services Committee determine that they involved lack of care on the part of the pupil, the Executive Council is, after giving written notice, entitled to recover the cost of the service from the Local Education Authority. This provision enables the Education Committee to fulfil its statutory duty to provide free medical treatment for pupils attending maintained schools. The amount claimed from the Education Committee by the Bedfordshire National Health Service Executive Council under these Regulations f^r the financial year 1957/58 was £56 I8s. 7H. Of the 75 cases of repair or replacement of glasses charged to the Education Committee, 53 were boys and 20 were girls. Orthoptic Treatment During the j^ear attendances were fairly good in the department, six sessions being held at St, Peter* s Clinic each week, and four at Dallow Road, Luton, There is again a waiting list at Luton, and scope for a full-time Orthoptist to treat the large number of children attending four sessions a week is inadequate. The following statement gives details of the year* s work :- Number of tests ,,. • • • • • • • • • 835 Number of treatments given • • • • • • 112 Number of new cases • • • • • • • • « 76 Number of children treated • • f # « • 29 Total number of attendances » • • • • • 1,023 Discharges 26 Cured ... ... • « e • • • • # • Improved • • • • • • f • • 20 Good cosmetic result • 0 d • • • • • • 10 Refused operation • • « d 0 • • 0 0 3 Failed to attend • « • 11 Noth-^.ng abnormal discovered » « • • • • 3 Lefl: district ... • • • • • « • • • 3 Not improved ... • « t • • • • • • 2 Unsuitable for treatment • • • • • • 3