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HEALTH VISITING
The health visitor is the most important social worker for the care of expectant and nursing
mothers and young children. Under the National Health Service Act, 1946, her work has been extended
to the whole family for their health education and the prevention, care and after care of illness.
Health visitors attend with the assistant medical officers at maternity and child welfare clinics,
and at schools for medical inspections and routine hygiene inspections. They make enquiries for the special
national surveys and help in the practical training of hospital student nurses and student health visitors
from Middlesex, Battersea Polytechnic and the Royal College of Nursing. (Table 1.)
The health visitors work in close co-operation with general practitioners, staffs of hospitals,
children's officers, welfare officers, sanitary inspectors, and other social workers. There has been closer
co-operation with general practitioners since a document "The General Practitioner and the Health
Visitor", was issued by the British Medical Association and the Society of Medical Officers of Health in.
January, 1954. It is hoped, however, that even closer co-operation will exist in the future.
During the year 17 general practitioners referred 25 families to health visitors for special reports
and action. (Table 2.)
The establishment of health visitors for the Willesden part of the area is 30, but there were only
an equivalent of 108/11 at the end of the year. To assist health visitors in their work temporary clinic
nurses have been employed. They help at the clinic sessions and visit schools for medical inspections and
routine hygiene inspections. An equivalent of 102/11 temporary clinic nurses were employed at the end
of the year, making a total of 2010/11 health visitors and clinic nurses.
The Middlesex County Council introduced a sponsored scheme for student health visitors in
September, 1955. Students receive their theoretical training at the Chiswick Polytechnic and their practical
training in one of the areas. They must remain with the County Council as health visitors for two years
after they qualify. There were three students in Willesden in 1955.
There is still a general shortage of health visitors.