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one temporary School Nurse appointment was made against a
Health Visitor Vacancy, so that in December, 1971, there were 44
Health Visitors in post of whom three were half time and four
part time. One Health Visitor had 6 months of sick leave.
The shortage of staff therefore made 1971 a very busy year
and until August the Health Visitors also paid 1393 Daily Minders
visits, this work being handed over to the Social Services
Department in August following the implementation of the Social
Services Act in April, 1971.
The standard of work remained high but the numbers of
home visits dropped in consequence of pressure of work due to
relief duties in fixed clinic and school medical sessions. The
number of first visits to the elderly increased, and due to better
communications with the Maternity Hospitals more mothers were
visited ante-natally. Miscellaneous visits also increased showing
the increasing use of the Health Visitors skills by all age groups
in the community.
(2) Training
7 Student Health Visitors sponsored by other Local Authorities
were placed for their Fieldwork Instruction and 6 obtained
their qualification—51 Student Nurses, and 7 Nurses taking their
obstetric course from Bromley Hospital Group, 4 Student Nurses
from Orpington Hospital Group, 34 Student Midwives and one
N.S.P.C.C. Officer, 2 Social Work Students and one Student
Nurse from Great Ormond Street Hospital were all given training
in the form of visits, lectures and discussions on the Health
Visitors work. The Kent County Council again invited the staff
to their week's Refresher Course and all the Health Visitors were
able to attend these valuable lectures on the afternoons when
they had no clinic session. One Health Visitor trained as a Field
Work Instructor, and 2 Health Visitors attended a two week
Refresher Course.
6 Staff Meetings were held and among other matters discussed
were the giving of Rubella Vaccination to vulnerable
schoolgirls, the importance of keeping the Cervical Cytology
screening service in the public mind and discussion of the content
of work on Health Education in Secondary schools now adopted
as Borough policy with which the Health Visitors are well
qualified to advise and participate, many of them being keen to
do so in the schools where they carry out their paramedical
duties. The proposed Mayston Structure was discussed particularly
in the light of the restructuring of the Health Service, and it was
agreed that a career structure similar to that enjoyed by hospital
colleagues was a necessary step in ensuring recruitment to the
Health Visiting Service. This stimulus was clearly demonstrated in
1971 throughout the Country when some Health Visitors were