National Service for Health : the Labour Party's post-war policy
1943-04 1943 1940s 24 pages School Medical Service A School Medical Service is a logical corollary of making school attendance compulsory, if only because a child in poor health cannot get full benefit from education. It was not until 1907, however, that this fact was recognised by the beginning of...
| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
|---|---|
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
London : Labour Party
April 1943
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/610D723A-00F8-46AC-BED5-DA9421C71943 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/F6B23041-9D79-4811-A9C6-38B1970D67AB |
| Summary: | 1943-04
1943
1940s
24 pages
School Medical Service A School Medical Service is a logical corollary of making school attendance compulsory, if only because a child in poor health cannot get full benefit from education. It was not until 1907, however, that this fact was recognised by the beginning of a School Medical Service. At present, this Service provides for free medical inspection of every elementary school child at least three times between the age of entering and leaving school ; but sufficient time for a thorough and complete examination is rarely available. Local Authorities provide treatment for school-children's minor ailments, practically free of charge. There is also some provision for treatment of teeth, eyes, nose, and throat, etc., but this is still very inadequate in some localities, especially as regards dental treatment, and some payment has to be made by the parents, save in special cases. Increasing provision has been made for supply of milk, cod liver oil, etc., and this has had a valuable effect on the children's general health. Before the war there was provision on a small scale of cheap meals fot children at school, and this has been extended during the war, where school equipment permits ; but even now the scheme provides for only one-fifth of the children. Finally, the benefits of the National Health Insurance Scheme have lately been extended to cover employed children who have left school but are not yet 16. Thus, we can say that the foundations of a School Medical Service have been laid. But evidently the service greatly needs expansion. All too often in the past, this expansion has been cramped by the demand for economy by Local Authority Committees ; so that poverty has remained a bar to health just at the time of life when the foundations of health are being laid. (The old are voters, the young are not!) Let us remember, for the future, when dealing with Health Services for the young, that in no field of medicine is "economy" more likely to prove "false economy." Permissive Health Legislation Much of Britain's existing health legislation is "permissive." Local Authorities are allowed to provide certain services, but may fail to do so. This applies, for instance, to the maternity service : much would be gained if the more backward Local Authorities would exercise the powers permitted so as to bring up their service for maternity to a standard comparable with that achieved by the more progressive authorities. The "permissive" laws ought in such cases to be changed into obligations. Moreover, in some cases the powers of Local Authorities are limited in such a way as to make an efficient, comprehensive service impossible. Thus, Local Authorities can provide domiciliary treatment in the case of paupers but not for others. In the well-equipped cities children who are well enough to attend clinics can get first-class treatment for dental, eye, rheumatic, throat, and ear troubles, etc., but if the child happens to be too ill to attend the clinic, the school medical service can do no more, and the parent can only call in and pay for a private doctor. Such anomalies ought to be cleared away by an "all-in" service. Summary of Conclusions The foregoing chapter has sought to show that the nation's existing medical service, good though it is in many respects, is ill-planned and far from adequate for the needs of the nation as a whole. Further it is contended that there is need for more control at the centre ; the Ministry of Health should be in a position to plan the lay-out of the nation's hospitals, doctoring, etc., according to the nation's need. The family doctor's position is unsatisfactory; in particular, more "team-work" is needed, and the efficient doctor should have an economic security which the present system cannot give. Whilst the defects of the old system of private doctoring have been mitigated by the National Health Insurance Scheme, they have not been removed ; and the Scheme does not 11
36/H24/40 |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: | TEXT |