London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Havering 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Havering]
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Table 2
HOME VISITS BY HEALTH VISITORS
| Home visits to : | Total No. of cases visited | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born in 1965 | Born in 1964 | Born in 1960/63 | ||
| Children | 14,925 | 3,765 | 3,532 | 7,628 |
| Persons under treatment for tuberculosis | 1,796 | Visited by Tuberculosis Visitors | ||
| Elderly persons (over 65) | 547 | Including 88 at special request of hospital or family doctor | ||
| Patients discharged from hospital | 37 | Including 19 at special request of hospital or family doctor (excluding maternity cases and mental illness) | ||
| Mentally ill persons | 33 | Including 13 at special request of hospital or family doctor | ||
| Cases of infectious diseases | 21 | Excluding tuberculosis | ||
| Total No. of cases visited | 17,359 | |||
should not be undertaken at home because of the increased risk
to mother and baby.
The parentcraft and relaxation classes provided in the clinics
by health visitors and midwives were particularly appreciated,
especially by expectant mothers in the first pregnancy.
The number of births, still births, maternal and infant deaths
are given on pages 4 and 5. The comparative rates calculated from
these figures are given on page 11.
The birth rate shows a slight fall from 1964 which confirms
national trends. The various still birth and infant mortality rates
compare favourably with national figures.
Table 3 shows that over two-thirds of all patients delivered in
hospital were discharged home, to the care of the midwife, before
the tenth post-natal day. This uses available hospital beds to the
best advantage, but requires full exchange of information between
hospital staff and the midwife. An analysis during the year showed
that the scheme for this exchange of information is working well,
but that sometimes a mother, on discharge, went to a different
address, often to stay with relatives, but omitted to inform either
hospital staff or midwife. An amendment of the forms was made
to overcome this problem.
An Ante-natal Co-operation Card, which is kept by each expectant
mother, facilitates the exchange of information between the
family doctor, hospital staff and midwife. Too much emphasis
cannot be placed upon the need to carefully preserve it.
10