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The role of the divisional co-ordinating committee and field level conferences in
inter-departmental liaison and contact with voluntary bodies has already been referred to.
The divisional nursing officer and her staff maintained cordial relations with hospital
almoners and district nursing associations, and the divisional treatment organiser and her
assistants likewise with voluntary committees and school care organisations. The home
help organisers were other useful links with the general practitioner, hospital and home.
Some 22 health visitors attended paediatric, asthmatic and diabetic out-patients'
departments at local hospitals on a rota system. A treatment organiser regularly assisted
for one session a week in psychological social work at a children's psychiatric outpatients'
clinic. The links between the hospitals and outside agencies and the home
were helpful to all and greatly appreciated by the consultants concerned.
No administration could function without the loyal and willing services of all
grades of staff: I most gratefully record the splendid efforts of everyone concerned with
the work of this division.
The ever helpful guidance of and the interest shown by the Chairman and members
of the Divisional Health Committee during another eventful year are also cordially
acknowledged.
Division 7, comprising the boroughs of Camberwell and Lewisham.
Dr. H. D. Chalke reports :
Premises
Two new centres have been started for child welfare, one in a church hall and the
other in a recently built community centre. The child welfare sessions of two voluntary
committees have been transferred to newly built church halls. These changes have
improved the standard of accommodation in the division.
The Lee and Blackheath School for Mothers discontinued its voluntary child welfare
activities. The School had operated for 40 years in Lewisham and was a pioneer in the
field. Over the years, much time, thought and labour have been given by a succession
of devoted workers, some of whom have continued their associations with the centre by
remaining as voluntary workers with the Council.
The Downham Day Nursery was closed on 31st August, as a result of falling
attendances. 7 nurseries remain with 358 places.
Tuberculosis
Routine tuberculin testing of pre-school children attending child welfare centres
continues. 7,600 tests were carried out during the year. The steady decrease in the
conversion rate is a useful index of the diminution in the amount of infection in the
community. Previously unknown infection continues to be discovered by this means.
Health
visiting
The links with other branches of the health services have continued to improve. In
particular, the attachment part-time of one health visitor to a group of doctors, of
another to the King's College Hospital Diabetic Unit and of a third to the St. Francis
Hospital Geriatric Unit, has yielded good results. Special attention has been given to the
scope and possibilities of in-service training and a paper by the Divisional Nursing
Officer on the subject has been published*
Problem
families
The care of problem families and the prevention of deterioration in the circumstances
of potential problem families continue as a co-operative effort between all social
workers, both official and voluntary, under the general direction of the divisional
medical officer, who acts as chairman of the standing committee of all the workers
concerned with each family which meets monthly for consideration. A home-making
class is held for inexperienced young mothers, and a certain number of specially trained
home helps work in the homes with the health visitors.
Voluntary
organisations
A great debt is owed to voluntary committees and their workers who play an
important part in maternity and child welfare, school treatment, home nursing, the
care of the aged and of the tuberculous and innumerable other ways. The Women's
*The Health Visitor in the Social Work Field—The Necessity for In-Service Training (Paper read before the Health
Congress of the Royal Society of Health, April, 1956).
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