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19
Health teaching, including information about healthy living and the maintenance of
health, is an integral part of all home, clinic and school activities.
During the year all nurses moved towards closer working in teams based at health
centres. This move was in preparation both for the adoption of the Mayston management
structure and for the full integration of all community nursing services. In its turn the
reorganisation of the National Health Service in 1974 will provide for the integration of
both community and hospital nursing, thus preparing the way for continuous nursing care in
the community, in the hospital and back into the home again.
Health Visiting
Staffing levels were maintained throughout the year, but this was difficult to extend
due to the high cost of living in Central London and the difficulties of finding staff suitable
accommodation at an economic rent; the turnover of staff was therefore considerable.
Despite these factors the service continued effectively and efficiently with an ever
increasing range of activity, due largely to the very high calibre of staff in post.
The traditional concept of the health visitor who visits only the 0—5 year age group
has long since gone and with a lower birth rate visits in this age group were greatly reduced.
Visits to school children increased, as did visits to persons over 65 years of age. It is
in the field of the care and support of the elderly within the community that there is great
scope for expansion.
Health visitors continued to be the major profession undertaking health teaching,
and for this she is fully equipped both by education and training. During the year health
visitors gave 1,262 talks to a total audience of 16,911.
Discussions took place with the Borough Engineer for swimming classes to be
established for mothers with young children of 6 months — 5 years. Health visitors have
been increasingly concerned at the vulnerability of local families when visiting the seaside or
local pools. It is hoped to start these classes with an instructor and, escorted initially by a
health visitor, in early January, 1973.

* (NOTE: There are certain alterations to the categories of visits arising out of
new requirements of the Department of Health and Social Security.
As a result, some of the details recorded for 1971 are not comparable
and have been omitted.)