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The fall in the number of first visits to children born during the
year reflects the reduction in the number of births, as was to be
expected, but the number is not unsatisfactory. The first visits are of
the utmost importance and health visitors make every effort to ensure
that they are carried out successfully. They provide the most favourable
opportunity of meeting and assisting parents, and especially the mothers
of first children, and of laying down the groundwork for future
co-operation.
Visits to all other categories, particularly older children and
elderly people, have increased. As from 1st January, 1966, the home
visiting of tuberculous families was undertaken by district health
visitors in the area of the former Kensington borough, but the visiting
of tuberculous families in the former Chelsea area continues to be the
responsibility of tuberculosis visitors from Brompton Hospital who,
during the year, carried out visits to 18 households. Together with the
280 households visited by health visitors, this gives an aggregate of
298 as against 343 in 1965 for the borough aS a whole. This reflects the
reduction in the incidence of the disease.
Health Education.
Visits made by health visitors are still an essential part of their
service to the community. The number of visits they make, however, is
not the only: or indeed nowadays a good indication of their value. In
the steady progress of this service the development of health education
is the main task of health visitors, and this is carried out not only in
homes visited but over a very wide field and is singled out for mention
accordingly
Ten health visitors are taking a direct part in health education
programmes in a number of schools, A full account of other activities
regarding health education is given later in this report.
World Children's Day.
On 15th June each year World Children's Day is commemorated by the
staff of Lancaster Road Welfare Centre. The mothers attending the
centre take an active part and this helps to engender a community spirit
which makes them more willing to help each other.
Students and Visitors.
There were eight visitors from overseas - three from Australia,
one each from Holland, Canada, Sudan, Egypt and Mauritius - who spent
some time in the public health nursing section collecting information and
made visits of observation to the welfare centres and day nurseries.
Ninety-four students from the nurse training schools of St. Stephen's
Hospital. St. Charles's Hospital and St. Mary Abbots Hospital have been
given insight into public health work and have been taught by health
visitors at their respective training schools on "The Social Aspects of
Disease".
Fifty-nine students from the North Western Polytechnic, Queen
Elizabeth College, the Froebel Institute, St. Anne's Training College,
one Heinz scholarship student, twenty DPH students and twenty-eight
student nurses from Hammersmith Hospital who are taking the integrated
course of nurse training have visited public health establishments.
Visits of observation have been arranged for two Ward Sisters from
King Edward's Hospital Fund, two Ward Sisters from Holland Park Staff