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This liaison is welcomed by the Department and visits to inpatients
were particularly useful in enabling environmental problems
to be alleviated before discharge from hospital.
Health Visitors continued to attend the Diabetic Clinic at
Greenwich District Hospital, the Paediatric Clinic at the Memorial
and Miller Hospitals and one Ante-natal Clinic at St. Alfege's
Hospital. Such attendances acted as links between the hospital staff
and community care workers and enabled the patient to be considered
as a sick member of a family rather than as an isolated individual
with symptoms and problems.
Problem Family Index—There are certain families who need
more than the usual amount of support in order to withstand the
stresses of life. They are often families with many children, perhaps
several under 5 years of age. Such families are indexed on a Problem
Families file and are visited frequently by Health Visitors who
ensure that they are advised on the best way to feed and clothe the
family and provide furniture without undertaking unrealistic hire
purchase commitments. Sometimes material assistance is also
provided.
Other specialist help is called in when necessary and co-operation
between members of the Health and Welfare, Children's and
Housing Departments enables some of the families to be rehabilitated
and achieve normal standards of life.
October of the current year saw the establishment of a special
unit at 32, Charlton Road, S.E.3, for the training and rehabilitation
of 'problem' families. Here, social workers provide intensive help
in an endeavour to overcome the various difficulties leading to a
family's existing situation.
Although it is a little too early fully to assess the value of this
unit there are already signs that it will prove a useful addition to the
department's community care services.
At the end of 1966 there were 166 families in the index including
542 children which compares with figures of 143 and 590 respectively
for the previous year. The index is checked completely every year
and all families are constantly under review.
Surveys—Information regarding those children and 'controls'
who were subjects of the Medical Research Council's scheme with
regard to measles vaccination is still being submitted to that
organisation.
In addition, the survey into child deaths from cancer being
undertaken by the Department of Social Medicine at Oxford
University continues to demand from health visitors, careful and
delicate preparation of parents for the subsequent visiting of a
Medical Officer to obtain comprehensive histories of the various
cases.