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Home Safety and First Aid
Five Elms Women's Co-operative Guild 18. 4.63 - 13.6.63
Health Education Talks in Schools
Lymington School - Series of 16 lectures.
HEALTH VISITING
During the year Mrs. Ling, who had worked in the borough for twenty years,
decided to retire. This she did with good wishes from all the staff. Unfortunately,
when such well-established members of the staff leave they are difficult
to replace. In her case it was found impossible to replace her, so that it was
necessary to review the existing areas covered by health visitors and carry out
some readjustments. Much thought was given to attempting to readjust in such a
way as to save precious health visiting time. Selective visiting as against
routine methods undertaken in the past necessitates much more expenditure of time
and energy, and delays created by transport difficulties add to this particular
problem.
It was decided to push ahead with decentralisation of health visitors.
Under this system of organisation staff go direct to their clinic base and do not
attend a central office each day as previously was the case. Family records are
filed in the clinics alongside those of schools and clinics. This helps to
correlate detail and improves liaison between staff involved in different aspects
of the same family.
During 1963 circulars were sent out to hospital staffs, general practitioners,
and social workers, giving details of health visiting areas and times and
places at which it would be convenient to contact staff. It is hoped that this
will foster closer relationships. Some general practitioners have already
availed themselves of the facilities provided, with mutual benefit.
There has been a growing demand for classes conducted by health visitors in
ante-natal instruction involving group discussion and the showing of films and
filmstrips. Midwives are also now undertaking some classes preparatory to confinement.
Teaching, however, does not stop when the baby has been safely
delivered. Parents seem to be anxious to accept the many forms of help offered
in bringing up their children along the right lines. The demands for this type
of service are so great that it is extremely difficult to meet them with the
depleted staff. Many of them spend much time in preparing and undertaking the
organisation of evening sessions, and although it is good to see the interest
taken by the public, particularly fathers, if the increasing demands are to be
met consideration will have to be given to the use of less highly qualified
personnel wherever possible in order to relieve a health visitor of many
extraneous duties which she now undertakes. The more young parents who take
advantage of available help, the less difficulties they will experience at a
later date.
The health visitors are constantly finding themselves involved in attempting
to repair strained family relationships. Many of these are due to difficulties
created by the necessity of sharing accommodation. Small children in flats
provide special problems, and some thought must be given to methods of helping
the parents in difficult circumstances.
During 1963 further progress has been made, particularly at Becontree
Clinic, in the earlier assessment of the development of young children. The
early assessment of hearing and vision carried out by health visitors is a
particularly important step forward if we are to help the development of the
handicapped young child.
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