London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
East Ham 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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47.
The problem of the Superintendent Health Visitor in this connection is a most unenviable one,
for the Council for the time being is committed to the practice of a unified health visitorschool
health service.
TABLE
| Year | Number of children under 5 years of age visited during year | Expectant Mothers | Children under 1 year of age | Children age 1 and under 2 years | Children age 2 but under 5 years | Other cases | Total number of families or households visited by Health Visitors | Number of attendances by Health Visitors at Clinic Sessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First visits | Total visits | First visits | Total visits | Total visits | Total visits | Total visits | |||||
| Effective Visits | 1956 | 6,532 | 1,310 | 1, 691 | 1,412 | 6,904 | 4,397 | 6,072 | 4,681 | 13,220 | 2,923 |
| 1957 | 5,491 | 1,146 | 1,521 | 1,512 | 7,068 | 3, 890 | 4,890 | 2,143 | 16, 641 | 2,531 | |
| No Access Visits | 1956 | 485 | 2,181 | 1,457 | 1,687 | 1,420 | |||||
| 1957 | 479 | 1,923 | 1,102 | 1,486 | 826 | ||||||
A "No Access" or Ineffective visit is one in which the Health Visitor did not make contact with the
individual to be visited or a responsible representative of that Individual.
SECTION 25 - HOME NURSING
This service continues under the committee of the East Ham District Nursing Association (a voluntary
organisation) on which sit members of the East Ham Council and the Medical Officer of Health. His
finances of the Association, as far as expenditure incurred in this work is concerned, are linked to the
Borough Treasurer's estimates, so that a complete working arrangement results.
The headquarters of the Association are sited at 'Charnwood' in Shrewsbury Road, and an adjacent
house 'Ascot Lodge' is also available for resident nursing staff.
His services given to sick persons in the borough in their own homes by whole-time and part-time,
resident and non-resident nurses, is asked for by the 'family doctor' or the hospitals. No night
service is normally available.
The nursing administration is under the control of the Superintendent Nursing Officer, whilst the
day-to-day running of the service and the Nurses' Homes devolves upon the Resident Assistant
Superintendent.
The District Nursing Service is visited annually by an inspector of the Queen's institute of District
Nurses, whose advices and reports are much valued.
By continuance of the arrangement entered into in 1955, the part of our borough south of the 'swing
bridges' is covered by the nurses of the Woolwich & Plumstead District Nursing Association from their
headquarters across the river.