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16
POST-NATAL SERVICES.
Health Visitors. Home Visiting.
Having regard to the intensification of work in the
casualty services, full resumption of school activities,
overseas evacuee inspections and refugee visitation, I am
able to record that no less than 6,799 home visits were
made by the health visitors during 1940, an increase of
over 800 on the previous year. That this satisfactory
result has been achieved during these times of great
stress of work is a tribute to the enthusiasm of a hard
working nursing staff.
Welfare Centres.
Tlie Centres have been held continuously throughout
the year, and with invaluable help given by the
voluntary workers, the work of the health visitors in this
sphere of their duties has been eased.
A falling off of attendances at welfare centres is
indicated in the following figures for 1940 as compared
with other years, but removals to quieter areas and cancellation
of one session per week would account in some
measure .for the drop in figures: —
1940 19-39 1938
Total number of babies on the
registers at end of year 3671 3389 2749
Total number of attendances of
children at all centres 20433 25993 27105
Total number of medical examinations
3085 3535 4174
Total number of weighings 18353 22899 24011
The average attendance in a normal year, 436 welfare
sessions, is 62, and .during 1940 the average has
dropped to 52 on a basis of 396 sessions.
Child Life Protection.
Regular visits to the homes of foster children were
paid by the health visitors, and no unsatisfactory
reports on home conditions provided for these children
required action during the year.