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One interesting development in this service was the choice of a midwife
in March, 1969 to start a pilot scheme for domiciliary family
planning. All the families are referred to her by other workers and they
are invariably families under a good deai of stress. The midwife who works
closely with the Local Family Planning Association, has had some success,
but the scheme, at present, is only operating on a small scale.
For detailed figures see Appendix page 95.
Health Visiting Service
The staff situation decreased during the last trimester of the year, due
mainly to retirement and promotion. Miss M. Warman, Deputy Superintendent
Health Visitor, retired in December after more than 30 years devoted
service to health visiting in Croydon. Sponsored students continue to be
the main source of recruitment. Five successfully completed their training
at Croydon Technical College, and a further six students are currently
training.
The London Borough of Croydon enjoys the services of over 200
Voluntary Workers helping in the Child Health Clinics. Their co-operation
has enabled the health visitors to start appointments systems for medical
officers in twelve Child Health Centres. It is hoped that by reducing the
waiting time in the Centres, the quality of the service to the public will
improve.
The full effect of the amended legislation relating to child minders
has been felt this year in the greatly increased volume of requests for
Registration. This has placed a considerable burden of work on this section.
Following the retirement of the Specialist Health Visitor, a Deputy
Superintendent Health Visitor was appointed to undertake the responsible
work of all initial assessments for registration. She continues to inspect
and advise the playgroups, whilst the health visitors pay follow up visits
to daily minders; but the Deputy Superintendent is always available to help
and advise, and even 'wield the big stick' should this be necessary.
The Working Party Report on Management Structure in the Local Authority
Nursing Services was published in October, 1969, and the recommendations
in Chapter Nine, relating to management training have been noted. The
necessity to anticipate administrative changes and prepare staff be secondmant
to appropriate courses is very much in mind.
For detailed figures see Appendix page 106.