[Report 1949] / School Medical Officer of Health, Coventry.

  • Coventry (England). City Council.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / School Medical Officer of Health, Coventry. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/42 (page 8)
    There is a waiting list for each of these specialist and auxiliary sessions, but, with the exception of the aural and visual conditions, the lists are under control. Becatise of the bed shortages, insufficient clinic space and personnel, and the increasing demand for specialist attention, the ear, nose and throat waiting list has now reached alarming proportions. It is the intention of the Local Education Authority to provide adequate specialist services for the essential requirements of a rapidly increasing school population, which, including an estimate of children attending private and. independent schools, is now approximately 38,163. With the anticipated addition of new clinic premises in 1950 at Stoke Heath School, the problem of relieving pressure at the overworked Central School Clinic will be partially solved besides providing a more convenient centre for the poptdation in the Stoke Area. The numbers of school children attending the branch clinics at Whoberley School, Windmill Road School and Binley School respectively, are growing steadily since the establishment of medical personnel was brought up to strength, and it is now possible to arrange more freqtient rotUine sessions. Generally speaking, the premises in which these clinics are held are cramped and inadequate for modern requirements and credit is due to the medical and. nursing staffs for carrying on efficiently under diffictdt conditions. It is disheartening to find that we still cannot begin to think of routine dental inspections for school children or even dental sessions at outlying clinics as our dental staff is so depleted. No less than four dental officers resigned between July and October, 1949. This leaves the School Health Service with two dentists, (a senior\ and an assistant dental officer) to cope with our school population. Three out of five of our assistant school medical officers have been approved by the Ministry of Education for the purposes of ascertainment of educationally subnormal and ineducable pupils and it will be most helpfid if the remaining two can take the required course during 1950. A system whereby the future needs and requirements of ineducable children are discussed between the appropriate parents. School Health and Mental Health staffs {Health Department) respectively, has been introduced. An inter- view takes places before the statutory letter notifying the pare7its of the Local Authority’s decision and. intention has been sent. The residts are very satisfactory and this procedure appears to be doing a great deal to improve the liaison between the people most concerned with the welfare of these children. Medical Inspections. During the year 8,560 (10,428) children were medically examined under routine arrangements. This figure shows a decrease of just under 2,000 since 1948 but this ca7i be explained by the shortage of medical staff which in October, 1949, wa.s