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III PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
The Principal Nursing Officer, Mrs. D.E. Marrin., reports as follows:-
" During 1972 10 Health Visitors were appointed and 2 resigned. There
were also several changes amongst clinic nurses, but we were up to full
establishment from September onwards.
Management Courses were attended during the year by an Assistant Nursing
Officer, aCentre Superintendent and two Health Visitors. Three Health Visitors
attended Field Work Instructor Courses and other Courses were attended by 8
Health Vi si tors.
A total of 91 medical students and 344 student nurses were assisted in
gaining community experience in the preventive field.
Study days included a fairly wide range of topics, embracing family
planning, care of the mentally handicapped child, hearing loss in school
children, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Our staff continue their liaison with general practitioners and further
placings in agreement with both medical and nursing staff were attempted, but
implementation of the plan produced difficulties.
The Urinary Research project was implemented, which will no doubt prove
of great assistance to the young child.
A vast amount of work has gone into keeping children free from infestation
both by Health Visitors and School Nurses and a product containing Malathion
has been used in the Borough since February, to help in this much needed side
of the preventive field.
Keystone vision testing was commenced in September, 1972., amongst various
groups of school children and is proving extremely effective in discerning
defects."
ANTE AND POST-NATAL CLINICS
Sessions are conducted in Council clinics by midwives and medical officersfor
ante and post-natal examination. In addition four general practitioners undertake
ante-natal work for their own patients in Council clinics which are made available to them
free of charge and with a domiciliary midwife in attendance (Statistics on page 60)
ANTE-NATAL, MOTHERCRAFT AND RELAXATION CLASSES
These classes are held by domiciliary midwives and heal th visitors in Council
clinics for both institutional and domiciliary booked cases. (Statistics on page 60)
ADOPTION AND BOARDING-OUT OF CHILDREN
Adoption
Persons proposing to adopt children are required to submit medical certificates as
to their health before achild is placed with them. These certificates areverified by the
Medical Officer of Health before consent is given.
Similarly, the medical records of the children to be adopted are scrutinised and the
Director of Social Services advised on the child's suitability for adoption.
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