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benefit to mothers and children and this is an encouragement to all concerned.
At the end of the year each centre had a waiting list.
Number of sessions held during the year 1,542
Number of attendances 18,532
HEALTH VISITING
The health visiting service is provided by the Council under Section 24 of
The National Health Service Act, 1946.
The work of the health visitor has many facets, embracing directly or indirectly
all the social services provided for every member of the family. She
maintains close liaison with social workers, general practitioners and hospitals.
Other duties include attendance at ante-natal, post-natal, and child welfare
clinics, running mothercraft and relaxation classes and the important function
of health education practised in the home, clinics and schools.
No major changes in the pattern of work took place during the year. In spite
of staffing difficulties the services were not only maintained, but limited
expansion was possible.
Health Visiting Staff
In the early months of the year recruitment remained difficult. In the latter
part, however, the position improved. Five student health visitors, sponsored by
the borough, successfully completed their training and joined the staff and ten
commenced their training in September. Health visitor students from Croydon
Technical College and the University of Surrey are allocated to Lambeth for
practical work placement. Six members of the health visiting staff are designated
as 'Field work’ instructors to undertake responsibility for the day to day practical
training of these students.
In addition, students from St. Thomas’ Hospital, undertaking integrated
training, were given the opportunity of obtaining practical experience for a limited
period in Lambeth although their placements for such training were outside the
borough.
Staff are encouraged to attend all available courses, including recognised
refresher courses for nursing staff, teaching courses, projectionist courses, and
various conferences on subjects in which individual members of the staff have show
special interest.
Throughout the year staff meetings took place in alternate months attended
by health visitors, midwives, school nurses and clinic nurses.