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43
Screening for Phenylketonuria
From the 1st October, 1969 the phenistix method of testing for
phenylketonuria was replaced by the more reliable Guthrie blood test,
which estimates the level of phenylalanine in the blood. This test is carried
out between the sixth and fourteenth day after birth. Hospital authorities
are responsible for collecting blood from infants born in hospital and not
discharged on or before the sixth day. Domiciliary midwives collect blood
from infants born in hospital and discharged on or before the sixth day and
also from those born at home.
Notification of intention to practise
Fifteen midwives notified their intention to practise within the
Borough as is required under the rules of the Central Midwives Board.
Student Visits to the Area
Pre-nursing course students from the Harrow Technical College
attended one day a week for three weeks in small groups to obtain some
experience in community health care, an introductory lecture being given
by a nursing officer. All students presented a written report of their
observations at the last session, and it is understood that the students
and tutors found the experience most helpful.
Groups of students from the Middlesex and Edgware General
Hospitals visited Harrow for three days, four times a year, to observe
activities of community care, child health clinics, toddlers clinics, special
hearing tests carried out to infants at the age of six months, home visits
to mothers and babies, school visits and geriatric care in the community.
Similarly, the work of a district nurse was demonstrated to groups of
students from these hospitals and also from Northwick Park.
Trainee medical social workers, student teachers, sister tutor
students and health visitor students from other parts of the country have
attended the health department at various times to receive a one week's
course in community care.
Training
Harrow continues to provide training for sponsored health visitor
students and for the integrated students from Hillingdon and West
Middlesex Hospitals who are preparing to take their training as State
Registered Nurses, District Nurses and as Health Visitors within a period
of four years.
Students receive practical health visiting under the supervision of a
qualified health visitor fieldwork instructor. Close liaison is established
between tutors from technical colleges and the team of fieldwork
instructors. The fieldwork instructors submit written reports to the
colleges of the progress of the students every term. Harrow is giving