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55
The improvement in staff recruitment reported in my Annual Report for 1967
has been maintained throughout the year. Nine health visitor students sponsored
by the Borough successfuly completed their training and joined the staff in
September. Sixteen students commenced training at the same time. It was, therefore,
possible to widen the scope of the work and to re-introduce combined Health
Visitor/School Nurse duties in some areas of the Borough.
Reports from the thirteen maternity and child health centres indicate a marked
increase in the number of mothers telephoning for help and advice, and also in the
number of people calling at the centres at other than recognised clinic session
times. There was an increase in the amount of time spent both in the clinic and
on home visiting where mental illness was a factor. Clinic attendances have
tended to be less in number, but more time consuming. The drop in numbers is
accounted for by the reduced number of births.
Due to the improvement in staffing generally it was possible to accept an
increased number of health visitor students for the University of Surrey and the
Croydon College of Technology. Staff attended the further periods of training
required by the Council for the training of Health Visitors for Field Work
Instructors.
Recruits for training facilities continued to increase and have now reached
saturation point. Visits of observation were arranged for 600 hospital student
nurses and members of the health visiting staff participated in student lectures
on the social aspects of disease. Many requests for training facilities and visits
of observation came from tutors to various social studies courses.
A number of overseas visitors requested short programmes of studies and
every effort was made to provide the experience needed.
A total of 722 students and visitors visited the norsing services for periods
varying from half a day, but in 39 instances they were a week or longer.
Students came from Brazil, Greece, Sweden, India and other countries.
RECUPERATIVE HOLIDAYS
Recuperative holidays are provided for expectant and nursing mothers and
children under five, psychiatric patients and other adults recovering from illness
where a short holiday involving rest, fresh air and good food only is needed, and
regular medical supervision and organised nursing are not required. Patients are
placed in private homes and hotels, etc. approved by the Health Department. A
total of 176 holidays were provided as follows :-
Expectant and nursing mothers and
children under five 55
Psychiatric patients 14
Persons of pensionable age 61
Other adults 46