Health Act, 1947

Obligation to submit children to medical inspection.

25.—(1) This section shall apply and have effect only in any county or county borough as respects which an order made under subsection (2) of this section is for the time being in force.

(2) The Minister may by order declare this section to be in force and have effect in counties or county boroughs generally or in a particular county or county borough.

(3) Where the Minister makes an order under subsection (2) of this section, he shall cause to be published in one or more newspapers circulating in the county or county borough to which the order relates notice of the effect of such order and of the date on which it will come into operation.

(4) Whenever a medical inspection is arranged under this Act for a child, whether at his home or at any other place, and the parent of such child is made aware of the time and place at which such inspection is to be held, the parent shall submit the child to such inspection unless an exemption from the inspection has been granted under subsection (5) of this section and shall be entitled, on request, to be present at such inspection.

(5) The medical officer having charge of the arrangements for a medical inspection provided under this Act shall grant an exemption in the prescribed form from the inspection in respect of any child in relation to whom there is produced to such officer a certificate in the prescribed form signed by a registered medical practitioner stating that he has examined the child within the prescribed period preceding the inspection.

(6) A person who contravenes subsection (4) of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof, in the case of a first offence, to a fine not exceeding five pounds, or, in the case of a second or any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.

(7) Every person who in connection with an application for an exemption under subsection (5) of this section makes any statement which is to his knowledge false or misleading in any material respect shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds.

(8) An offence under this section may be prosecuted by the health authority who provided the medical inspection.