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Section 24 — Health Visiting
Establishment
The total health visiting establishment at 31st December, 1969, was as
follows
Superintendent Health Visitor
Deputy Superintendent Health Visitor
Group Advisors — 3
Fieldwork Instructors — 5
Health Visitors — 22
Clinic Nurses — 9
Training
Health visitors' training continues under the revised rules submitted
by the Council for the training of health visitors to the Minister in 1965
in accordance with Section 2 of the Health Visiting and Social Work
Training Act 1962. Harrow is responsible for the training of integrated
students in health visiting. During their training as State Registered
Nurses, district nurses, and health visitors, which takes four years for the
three certificates, students receive practical training in the local authority
services under the supervision of a fieldwork instructor. In the third and
fourth year of training the same fieldwork instructor provides tuition for
the student to give support and continuity of instruction. Meetings of the
tutors from various colleges for the training of health visitors and fieldwork
instructors take place at regular intervals to discuss the progress of
the students and to link theoretical and practical work. Harrow has taken
part in the training of health visitors with three London training schools;
Chiswick Polytechnic, North Western Polytechnic, and the Royal College
of Nursing. Five fieldwork instructors have supervised the training.
Twelve integrated students received instruction in practical work during
1969. After completion of the theoretical training in the colleges, 3 months
supervised practical work is supported by the Group Adviser. Harrow has
3 group advisers, each one working in close liaison with one of the colleges.
All Group advisers are trained in first line management and take responsibility
in the introduction of the work of the health visitor to new
appointments in the area. Each group adviser has a link with one third of
the trained staft. Meetings take place to discuss case problems in small
groups.
Two fieldwork instructors completed the second part of their training
as fieldwork instructors. The new length of training for fieldwork instructors
has been increased to a period of six weeks and a certificate is given at the
end of the training.
One integrated student received 3 months' practical experience in
Harrow as no sponsoring authority was available.