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(2) "Mrs. Y age 43. Mr. Y is having psychiatric treatment and is of little
help to his wife. She has been meaning to get Family Planning advice
but never gets round to it. Although there are only two children,
this couple could not cope with another child at present."
(3) "Mrs. Z age 27, has had four children and is constantly changing
cohabitees. Living on Social Security."
Referrals are usually made by the health visitors although family doctors,
probation officers, child care officers, or personnel in statutory or voluntary
welfare services may contact the Health Department with requests for home
visiting.
A specialist team of doctor and nurse is available. The doctor will contact
the family doctors and ask permission to visit his patient. Both the family
doctor and the referring agency will be informed of the outcome. After the
F.P.A. doctor's first visit the domiciliary nurse will take over until the doctor's
next visit. Visits will continue until the patient is able to accept and become
established on the method most suitable for her and her husband. 150 families
had been visited by the end of 1969. The cost of the domiciliary service is £10
a year per family. (Sgd) Dr M P. Elman
Senior Medical Officer
The Principal Nursing Officer, Miss E. Early, reports as follows
HEALTH VISITING
Due chiefly to the Department's Sponsorship Scheme for health visitor
students the improvement in staffing achieved in 1968 was maintained throughout
the year. Fourteen students successfully completed their training in September
and joined the staff as qualified health visitors. Ten new students commenced
training at the same time.
This improvement made it possible to reduce case loads and widen the
scope of the work. An increased number of staff now undertake combined
school nursing health visiting, concentrating on the primary schools, and
particularly on the younger children. This in turn has extended the scope of
health education in primary schools and has also resulted in an improved
immunisation state in the schools concerned and greater stability in staffing.
There was an increase in visits to the elderly and to the mentally ill and
handicapped. The tendency continued for an increase in requests for advice by
telephone and also in the numbers of callers at child health centres at other than
recognised clinic session times.