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The University of London Institute of Education continued to provide the theoretical
instruction for the majority of the Council's health visitor students, some of the remainder
receiving it at Battersea Polytechnic and the others at the Royal College of Nursing.
During the course, field experience was provided by the Council. Of 195 of the Council's
student health visitors trained since 1948, 191 have been successful in the examination
of the Royal Sanitary Institute for the health visitors certificate and, of these, 102 are still
in the Council's service while a further 40 students are in training.
Training of
student
health
visitors
Importance is attached to the necessity of keeping the health visitor abreast of
developments in her field and of affording her the opportunity for some revision of the
theoretical basis of her skills. Accordingly, having regard to the recommendations of
the Whitley Nurses and Midwives Council adopted by the Council, it is the Council's
policy to enable its health visitors to attend a fortnight's post-certificate refresher course
five years after qualifying and every subsequent five years. These courses are held both
in and outside London, some being organised by the Women Public Health Officers
Association and the others by the Royal College of Nursing. The Council meets the
cost of the fees, travelling expenses and, when held outside London, a substantial part
of the cost of board and lodging.
Refresher
courses for
health
visitors
The number of references to the department for medical examination, for advice
concerning the health of staff and for the fitness of candidates for appointment totalled
14,040, compared with 13,855 in 1953. 207 members of the staff were found to be
permanently unfit for further duty with the Council and 220 candidates unfit for
appointment.
Reciprocal arrangements with provincial authorities for the local examination of
new entrants were continued. Provincial medical officers of health arranged for the
examination of 57 entrants to the Council's service and the Council's medical officers
examined 53 persons for provincial appointments.
The Council's staff medical examiners made 84 home visits to examine members
of the staff who were unable to travel, compared with 68 during 1953.
Staff medical
examinations
In co-operation with the welfare department and the school meals and catering
department arrangements were made for the bacteriological examination of specimens
from members of the food handling staff who had been absent from work suffering
from illnesses which might have given rise to food-borne infection and those who had
been in contact with such illness in their own homes. During the year 195 persons
(including 46 contacts) were examined, all but seven of whom were allowed to return
to work after examination. The seven who were regarded as infectious were referred
to their private doctors for treatment before being allowed back on duty.
Food handlers
in contact
with
infectious
diseases