The Court Report and acute illness in children in a northern town.

The classification of the medical and social characteristics of a random sample of 360 children requiring admission to a paediatric unit in a Northern town revealed a marked social class gradient, rising from social class I to social class V, when compared with the social class distribution of children in the hospital catchment area wards. This was most evident in children suffering from respiratory diseases. Infants were particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases when compared with the age distribution of children in the selected wards. Two electoral wards had a higher than expected number of ill children. One the crisis of a sick child developed, the families of these children were disadvantaged in their access to medical care by their lack of private transport and private telephones. The reported delay experienced by these families from approach to, and contact with, GPs was particularly acute in the mornings and it must be concluded that some children may be at risk at this time of day. Out-of-hours calls were promptly attended by both GPs and deputising service doctors.