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the present Health Visitors' districts, the Western part comprising
the Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, and the Eastern part the Districts 5, 6, 7, 8.
I have calculated that each of the Medical Officers would have an
equivalent of 7 sessions per week. This would give them much
more time for looking after the Health Visitors, and also for going
round with them on their home visitations. This scheme specially
recommends itself to me as it will provide for much more efficient
medical supervision, not only in the Centres themselves, but also of
the mothers in their homes, which is most important. At the present
time the Medical Officers are seeing far too many women and children
at the various sessions to do justice to the persons attending, and
there is hardly enough individual attention. We have got beyond
the stage of giving general advice, and we want now to get down to
particulars. I think also that it would encourage the work of the
Health Visitors if they knew that the Medical Officers had more
time to devote to it, for, at present, it is impossible for one Medical
Officer to give that attention which their work demands.
The regular inspection of the Voluntary Centres in the Borough
would also be a part of their duties which, owing to lack of staff,
has hitherto not been systematically carried out.
As regards the holidays, some arrangement could be made whereby
it would not be necessary to have an outside locum tenens for
during the two months' summer holiday period some of the sessions
might very well be suspended, as many of the mothers and children
go away for holidays or are engaged hopping.
D 2