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88
time when recruitment and loss did not match up. In October,
9 new health visitors joined the staff after successfully finishing
a "one-year" training course under the sponsorship of the Council
while, at the same time, 7 newly sponsored students commenced a
similar training. Some of these students are doing their practical
placements within the Borough and field-work placements were
arranged for students sponsored by other London Boroughs. I
regret to have to report that one centre superintendent died after
a long illness.
In order to comply with the Amendments to the Nurseries and
Child Minders Regulation Act, 1948, a centre superintendent was
promoted to Senior Nursing Officer on a temporary basis to
register all child minders and nurseries in the Borough and a
health visitor, who is also a trained and experienced district nurse,
obtained promotion into district nursing administration in the
Council's service. Five health visitors resigned, one on reaching
retiring age, one on marriage, two on becoming pregnant and one
to work abroad with the "Save the Children Fund". A sixth health
visitor changed from full-time to part-time work on her marriage.
The staffing position with the district nurses has remained much
the same this year. As most of the nurses are married there is a
fairly high turn over of staff and many leave when their husbands'
work takes them to another area or because they start their families.
Most resignations are for purely domestic reasons which means
that as fast as new staff are appointed others leave and, unless
extra staff can be appointed, it seems unlikely that this position
will change.
Numbers of school and clinic nursing staff remained quite static,
a refreshing change from previous years and one which we hope will
continue for our present staff are exceptionally able people and an
asset to the service.
Ante and Post Natal Clinics
These clinics, provided by the Council at its Welfare Centres, are
under the supervision of the Council's Medical Officers or General
Practitioner Obstetricians and they serve as centres where midwives
can book and examine their patients and where facilities are offered
for certain routine investigations.
Figures given in the table following indicate the use made by
residents of these clinics. Total attendances for the current year
continue to show some reduction from those of 1968 which are
given in brackets:—