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HEALTH VISITING
Miss B N Chandler, SRN, SCM, HV Cert.Dip.Soc.Studies (Lond)
Establishment
It was agreed that two School/Clinic Nurses should be appointed to assist with
routine work, and this has proved a benefit in giving the Health Visitors more visiting time.
During the year 6 Health Visitors left, one for a promotion post and 5 for domestic reasons,
and were replaced by 6 new appointments, 4 of which were sponsored Student Health Visitors
who joined the staff on qualification. At the end of the year there were 45 Health Visitors
and 2 School/Clinic Nurses in post.
Training
8 Nurses with basic SRN and Midwifery or Obstetric qualifications were sponsored by
Bromley to take their Health Visitor training and 10 were given experience with the Fieldwork
Instructors in this Borough who were sponsored by other areas. 37 Student Midwives, 50
Student Nurses, 14 Pupil Nurses and 8 Students from other professions were given an insight
into the Health Visitors' work. The programming of this undertaking was carried out by the
Deputy Superintendent who also gave lectures and conducted discussions before and after the
fieldwork placements. The Health Visitors attended the KCC Refresher Course and were
grateful to be invited once again, and attended various study days in hospitals and at the
London Boroughs Training Committee to keep up to date with current developments. 2 Health
Visitors went on a two week Refresher Course, 2 took Fieldwork Instructors' Course, the
Deputy Superintendent took a course for Administrators concerned with training and the
Superintendent Health Visitor went on a 2 week Middle Management Course.
Home Visits
The improvement in recruitment has been reflected in the increase in home visits to
all age groups, a total of 60,332 effective visits were paid and 11,300 where no reply was
obtained. These visits include first visits to 1,973 children between 5 and 16 years, 5,302 to
persons aged 17-64 years and 952 to persons aged 65 and over. 629 visits were paid to households
where one member suffered from tuberculosis and 493 to persons with other serious chest
conditions. 4,621 other visits were paid for various reasons including visits to long stay
immigrants and people with psycho-social problems.
Health Education
277 sessions were held when the Health Visitor or School Nurse did group teaching
and these included talks to school children, expectant parents, groups in other professions
and clubs for the elderly and other groups interested in healthy living.
Case Conferences
109 formal and informal case conferences were attended where the Health Visitor
could usefully contribute.
Clinic Sessions
4,134 Maternal and Child Health Clinics (many in General Practitioner Surgeries) and
660 other clinic sessions were conducted by the Health Visitors.
School Health
The Hygiene and Medical Inspections are reported on in the School Health Section all
of which were prepared and/or attended by the Health Visitors or School/Clinic Nurses.
Conclusion
It is apparent that this year a better service was given to the total population by the
Health Visitors. This has given them more job satisfaction in reaching more members of the
public and helping towards optimum health by offering their knowledge in the individual situation
of the person involved.
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