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PERSONAL HEALTH SERVICES
Existing Clinic Provision
Full information in respect of the Council's Clinics and the key to the services
provided, is set out in a table to be found on page 113.
Co-ordination and Co-operation with Hospital and General Practitioner Services
Links with the hospitals have been strengthened. A health visitor now visits
the Paediatric Unit at Edgware General Hospital and joins the meetings of social
workers and others concerned with patients in the Unit. Another health visitor combines
regularly a visit to the Barnet General Hospital Paediatric Unit with a visit to the
Hospital's Premature Baby Unit. Health visitor/group advisers have visited the wards
at Edgware General Hospital and offered assistance with regard to patients' social
problems. At Barnet General Hospital health visitor/group advisers and home nurses
have co-operated with the staff of the Geriatric Department.
In September a senior midwife holding the Midwifery Tutor's Diploma was appointed
and arrangements were made for her to visit Edgware General Hospital to give lectures
to pupil midwives in preparation for their period of training on the district.
A newly formed relationship within the teams attached to general practitioners
needed time to become established, but there has been a growing understanding amongst
members of the team of the role that each has to play.
At the beginning of the year the conversion of the East Barnet Clinic to a Health
Centre was completed and two of the general practitioner suites were occupied. The
arrangements for the joint operation of general practitioner and local authority services
have worked smoothly and have greatly benefited the residents in that part of the
Borough.
Health Visiting
This has been a year of consolidation for the service. Health visitors attended a
number of courses during the year. The first in-service course for those interested in
teaching health education in school was organised by the health education officer and
health visitors are now teaching in 18 schools. Health visitors continue to be associaated
with research projects carried out by a number of agencies. Three health visitor
students successfully completed their studies and are now members of the staff.
Assistance was given for the training of six health visitor students from other authorities
and eight child care students were placed with health visitors for two weeks. They
also welcomed two social work students from Durham and London Universities,
respectively.
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