View report page

20
Health visitors attend with the assistant medical officers at maternity and child welfare clinics and
at schools for medical inspections and routines hygiene inspections. During the year they gave 47 school
talks to senior girls on mothercraft. These talks were much appreciated by the girls, who showed interest and
asked many intelligent questions. Health visitors make enquiries for the National Surveys, and help in the
practical training of hospital student nurses, and student health visitors from Middlesex and Battersea
Polytechnic, who are in training during the year (Table 59).
Health visitors work in close co-operation with general practitioners (Table 60), staffs of hospitals,
children's officers, welfare officers, public health inspectors, and other social workers.
Some patients who attend Diabetic Clinics require advice to be given in their homes on their treatment,
diet and after-care. Health visitors who attend the Diabetic Clinics at the Central Middlesex and Willesden
General Hospitals, give this advice under the supervision of the physician-in-charge.
The physician selected 26 patients during the year for these health visitors.
The number of health visitors has increased for the Willesden part of the Area (Table 61). However,
some temporary clinic nurses have been employed to help at the clinic sessions and visit schools for
medical inspections and routine hygiene inspections.
The Middlesex County Council introduced a sponsored scheme for student health visitors in September,
1955. Students receive theoretical training at the Chiswick Polytechnic and their practical training in
one of the areas. They must remain with the County Council as health visitors for two years after they
qualify. Two students who were sponsored for Willesden commenced their training in 1959 and will take
their final examinations in 1960. Four other students had their practical training in Willesden.
MINISTRY OF FOOD—WELFARE FOODS
National dried milk, orange juice, cod liver oil and vitamin 'A' and 'D' tablets continued to be distributed
from centres and clinics in the Borough.
HOME NURSING
The Area Health Office is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Home Nursing
Service in Willesden.
The nurses are non-resident and receive many applications from hospitals and general practitioners
by telephone in their own homes.
Home nurses give injections and other treatments to patients who include children under 5 years of
age and the aged and infirm (Table 62).
The home nurses have helped a number of aged and infirm people to get up and about again.
SMALLPOX VACCINATION
Vaccinations are done by the staff at the health clinics, but most of them are carried out by general
practitioners. The number of children under one year of age vaccinated, represents 38.2% of the total live
births for the year (Table 64).
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION
All children under one year old are offered protection against diphtheria, and private doctors and
assistant medical officers of health immunise them; the material for immunisation is supplied free of charge
by the Medical Research Council.
Children usually receive reinforcing doses just before they start school. Table 65 shows the total
number of children who have received protection against diphtheria during the last 15 years (1945—1959).
The estimated percentage of children who have received an injection during their school life is 75.1.
INOCULATION AGAINST POLIOMYELITIS
During the year 22,246 expectant mothers and children born between 1943 and 1958 received third
doses, and 4,000 received two doses.
Inoculation of factory employees continued, and 3,665 received two doses. After an interval of 7
months, third injections were given to 2,185 employees. Large numbers of employees who had left the
factories before their third injection was due, were advised to obtain the injection either through their own
doctor or at a local clinic.
HOME HELP (Tables 66 and 67)
There were 68 more applications for home help received in 1959 than in 1958 but the number of
cases receiving help at the end of 1959 remained at just over 600.
There were 86 home helps employed at the end of 1959, and their rate of pay remained at 3 s. 5d.
per hour.
78 bookings were taken for maternity cases, but only 37 were helped, the remainder making other
arrangements.
The maximum charge for the service remained at 4s. Od. per hour.
The number of home visits made by the Organisers increased to 4,648.