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HEALTH VISITING
Dorothy M. Coe., S.R.N., R.F.N., S.C.M., H.V., C.&G.,
Technical Teachers’ Certificate, Diploma in Social Studies,
Borough (Maternal and Child Health and School Health) Nursing Officer
During the year the number of health visitors on the establishment was maintained
and it was possible to expand the services to the public. Apart from the usual advice
on feeding, general care, and the promotion of health within the family circle, stycar
hearing testing is done in the home. This has the advantage of supervising the developmental
progress of children who do not attend infant health clinics or well baby
clinics in surgeries. It is accepted that the parents of many children at social risk do
not avail themselves of the services available to them and in view of this the services
need to be taken to them. During the interviews with the mother in the home the
health visitors are able to detect early symptoms of retardation or defect, and will
when necessary refer the child to the general practitioner or hospital for further
investigation.
Detection of symptoms of 'battered baby' is often possible when visiting. Follow-up
visits of patients referred by consultants or medical social workers are carried out
by the health visitors who are able to assess the social needs of the patient and family
and bring in the services appropriate to the need, e.g. home help, district nurse etc.
Although this refers to patients in all age groups, old people not in need of visits
on medical grounds are referred to geriatric social workers.
Mothers clubs, creche sessions and talks on subjects of interest are very popular
in the health centres.
The increased liaison with general medical practitioners has proved to be of value
in promoting a greater understanding of the needs of people and in forming good
relationships between the family doctor and the staff of the health department.
General practitioners have described the service as being extremely valuable.
The stimulation to staff and public by providing new and improved services in the
Kingswear and Speedwell health centres has been striking, and quickly established
a full and valuable service for the particular areas.
The numbers of infant health and educational sessions have been expanded.
Refresher courses and in service courses and lectures on a number of subjects
have been arranged for the health visitors. This is a valuable provision which keeps
the nurse up to date with new projects and attitudes.
Health visitors have formed strong links with the local hospital specialist services,
and attend outpatient clinics dealing with ante-natal (social needs), paediatric,
diabetic and spinabifida, venereal disease patients, reporting to the consultants details
of the home conditions and possible progress of the patient while cared for in the home.
This can be of tremendous help to the consultant in deciding the action to be taken
for each individual patient.
Child minding and play groups have increased in number during the year. Health
visitors are being more and more involved in the regular visiting and regularly
reporting on the individual cases, bringing to the notice of central staff the need for
further investigation into unsatisfactory conditions. A complete list of all minders,
private day nurseries and play groups is available at central office.
Talks and lectures have been undertaken by health visitors on a variety of subjects
in schools, women's clubs, geriatric clubs, shops and laundries with large female
staffs.
Many visitors from this country and abroad have been received in the centres
and had discussions relating to the services offered to the Lewisham public. Child
care officers, social workers and students studying social services receive talks, visits
and discussions, centrally by the nursing officers each term. Lectures dealing with
the social aspects of illness are given to third year nurses in King's College Hospital
and Lewisham Hospital groups. Visits of observation to all health premises are
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