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Southwark College of Further Education, and is responsible for the health content of the syllabus
of training.
Talks have been given by senior nursing staff to professional and other groups during the year.
Programmes and individual lectures for in-service training have been carried out by them, and they
have frequently taken part in the London Boroughs Training Committee Courses.
Refresher Courses
An up-to-date programme is maintained and all nursing staff are given opportunities to attend
courses and lectures planned to keep them fully aware of changes and progress on all aspects
of their work.
Recruitment and Training
Six health visitor students sponsored by the City Council were trained in 1968. In addition
nursing staff have taken part in field work training for students from other authorities, and six field
work instructors have been appointed for this work.
Group Practice Attachment
This interesting development has been extended to include two more health visitors, who are
now working with two groups of doctors. We now have four group practice attachments, which
appear to be working very well, to the benefit of the patients. The general practitioners are very
appreciative and the health visitors are happy with the arrangements.
Staff
One Day Nursery Matron retired after almost 20 years service; she was very much missed, but her
successor has been appointed and has settled into the service very well.
Nursery nurses continue to be in very short supply; it is the one field where there is a constant
shortage of trained staff in spite of our efforts to maintain the establishment.
School Health Service
Health visitors as well as other nursing staff take part in this activity, where regular medical
examinations and surveys are undertaken. Close co-operation with head teachers and medical
officers is encouraged, and in Infant and Junior Schools there is the advantage that many of the
children are already well known to the health visitor from her contact with the child in its own
home, thus providing continuity. Encouragement and stimulation for a health education programme
is the aim of senior nursing staff, with success in some measure at many of our schools.
Visitors to the Department
Student nurses from all the hospitals have visited Centres and been given talks and information
on the work of the Department. Social workers, house parents, child care officers and overseas
students have also attended and a total of 580 passed through the Department this year.
DAY CARE OF CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS
The Day Nursery Service
The eight day nurseries in the City continue to provide day care for 450 children, who are in
special need. Apart from children who need care so that a single parent may work and maintain
them at home, children whose environment does not provide the opportunity for healthy normal
development, or who have social, physical or mental handicaps are selected, and careful consideration
is given to each individual child. This service enables many children to be brought up at home
who would otherwise need full residential care. Close co-operation is maintained between
matrons, health visitors and senior nursing officers, to ensure those who need this care are brought
forward.
Five of the nurseries are registered for training for the Nursery Nurses Certificate and last year
nine nursery students qualified. Much effort and interest is shown by all staff in ensuring a high
standard of care and to provide interesting and stimulating equipment. Continued contact is
maintained with the Colleges for Further Education who assist us in this training; this provides
much interest and enables nursery staff to keep abreast of the latest developments, to the benefit
of the children who attend.