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PERSONAL HEALTH
Section 24,
National Health Service
Act, 1946
Health Visiting
It is the duty of every local authority to make provision in their area for the
visiting of persons in their homes by health visitors for the purpose of giving
advice as to the care of young children, persons suffering from illness and
expectant or nursing mothers, and as to the measures necessary to prevent
the spread of infection.
Section 11,
Health Services and
Public Health Act 1968
Section 11 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 enables local
health authorities to make provision for the visiting by health visitors of
persons elsewhere than in their homes, the intention being to promote the
more effective deployment of staff and to facilitate co-operation between
general medical practice and local health authority services. The section also
provides for arrangements between local health authorities for the services of
health visitors employed by one authority to be made available in another
authority's area on agreed terms and conditions.
Figures relating to visits to homes by health visitors are set out in the relevant
table. Other duties included attendance at ante-natal, post-natal and child
health clinics, mothercraft and relaxation classes, and the important function
of health education practised in the homes, clinics and schools.
Liaison with Hospitals
and General
Practitioners
Health visitors attending the paediatric clinic at Chase Farm Hospital were
able to pass on to their colleagues, as appropriate, the advice and instructions
given by the consultant paediatrician.
Health visitors also continued to attend the Maternity Units at North
Middlesex Hospital, Highlands Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital.
A group adviser health visitor continued to work in close liaison with
geriatricians at both St. Michael's and North Middlesex Hospitals, so that
community services needed for the aged on discharge are arranged and followup
visits made by health visitors.
A modest increase in attachment arrangements to general medical practitioners
was possible, two additional practices being involved, bringing the
total at the end of the year to seven health visitors attached to seven
practices, serving a total of 26 general practitioners.
Relaxation arid
Mothercraft
Relaxation and mothercraft courses for expectant mothers were held at
clinics throughout the borough and continued to be popular. A course
usually consists of six weekly sessions, and during the year 662 women made
3,573 attendances at the 490 sessions held. The film "To Janet - a Son?"
is seen regularly each month by groups of parents-to-be.
Ancillary Help
State registered nurses not holding the health visitor's certificate continued
to be employed as clinic nurses at child health clinic sessions, for school
inspections, and school clinic duties. To reduce the time spent by health
visitors on clerical work, clerical staff were employed at clinics.
We are fortunate to have 107 voluntary workers to help us at the child health
clinics.
Training of Staff of
other Agencies
Student nurses from the major local hospitals continued to spend time with
health visitors, learning about the preventive services by visiting homes with
the health visitor and seeing the work done in the clinics. Lectures were also
given to the nurses by the Medical Officer of Health and the Superintendent
Health Visitor. Student nurses from the Middlesex Hospital continued to
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