School health in the wilderness.

Concern is expressed for the school health service which has been overlooked in the current controversy about child health services. Reference is made to a study of health services in 15 primary schools in London in demonstrating the objectives and the value of the school health service. The study also shows the need for a combination of preventive and therapeutic roles on the part of doctors practising primary child health care, and for community child health services (which include health services in schools) to be planned as supplementary rather than complementary to the family doctor services.