London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hornsey 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]
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HEALTH VISITING SERVICE
Section 24
The Health Visitor is the all-purpose visitor to the home. She visits
the expectant mother, the young baby, the toddler, school children,
young people and the aged of both sexes.
The principle of one visitor to the home is an economy and is much
more acceptable to the family than a number of visitors for different
purposes. Hospital almoners, family doctors and voluntary agencies
concerned with the health and welfare of individuals seek the assistance
of the health visitor as a member of the team which provides co-ordination
of information and help to those in need.
The health visitor also gives advice at Infant, Toddler, Ante-natal,
Mothercraft and other clinics associated with the work of the health
centres. The continuity of advice given in home-visiting and clinics is
very valuable and is a means of providing friendly support and care
for the mothers, children and others in this Area.
The range of the work of the health visitor/school nurse has assisted
in the exposure of the special needs of certain groups, e.g. school leavers,
the aged and problem families. The visiting of the two latter groups
has taken up more of the health visitor's time than formerly.
TABLE 7
| No. of visits paid by Health Visitors working in the Area | 1954 | 1953 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expectant Mothers | First Visits | 1,986 | 2,013 | |
| Total Visits | 3,324 | 3,278 | ||
| Children under 1 year | of age First Visits | 3,042 | 3,227 | |
| Total Visits | 14,391 | 14,448 | ||
| Children age 1-2 | Total Visits | 7,449 | 8,343 | |
| Children age 2-5 | Total Visits | 14,036 | 14,522 | |
| Other cases | Total Visits as Health Visitor | 4,112 | 4,478 | |
| Total Visits as School Nurse | 1,098 | 1,326 | ||
Health Education
It is with the awareness of the changing needs connected with the
health and future well-being of the population that in 1954 the health
visitor gave more time than in previous years to the teaching of Parentcraft
and Health Education to school girls and some boys in the fourteen
plus age group.
This instruction was given so as to prepare the next generation for
their approaching parenthood and to avoid, if possible, the ignorance
which leads to so many problems.
Two hundred and forty nine talks were given to school children in
1954 as compared with one hundred in 1953.
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