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accessible to the public, the thirteen centres continue to give a wide range of
services affecting the health and stability of the family and school children.
Increasing 1iaison between al1 grades of staff and with hospitals, general practitioners
andother Allied services, and voluntary organisations has been maintained
and brings the staff into contact with all age groups of the public.
In addition to the home visiting and routine sessions such as child welfare,
ante natal (and prophylaxic), some centres have such facilities as mothers'clubs
(sometimes fathers included), famfly planning, creche and health education
sess ions.
The range of observers attending one CIinic Centre during the year was as
follows and is not untypical of the pattern at other centres.
8 London Hospital medical students.
2 pupil midwives weekly for 5 sessions
12 student nurses from St. Andrew's and the London Hospital
1 health visitor student in training
2 doctors from World Health Organisation
6 groups of dental students (approximately 10 in each).
Lunch-time meetings between health visitors and allied voluntary and
statutory workers have helped to improve co-operation at field level.
Surveys: (a) Lead FalI Out
At the Island Clinic which is a busy all-purpose centre, one health
visitor was engaged-al most full-time in assistingiwith the Purvey inte "le&d
fall-out', her colleagues at the centre relieving her as far as possible of day
to day duties.
(b) Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths
The health visitors are now involved, together with a doctor, in early
follow-up visits to homes where an infant has died suddenly and inexplicably.
It is hoped, that when more detailed information is collated on the causes of
these deaths, such tragedies may be considerably lessened.
School Nursing Service
The school/clinic nurses have continued their busy role of assisting in
maintaining and improving the health and hygiene of the school children in the
borough. Their work has a high social content as they are frequently in touch
with parents, either at school medicals or through home visits, when persuasion
maybeneeded for particular action to be taken on the part of the parents in the
child's interest. In add i t i on to the i r routine work and relief duties undertaken
for their colleagues, these nurses have ass i s ted at exam inat ions of approximately
200 children to determine them 'free from infection' or take necessary action
prior to recuperative holidays or reception into care.
Altogether abusy though rewarding year for the personnel of the nursing sect ion. "
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