London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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East Ham 1961

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]

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32
SECTION 24 - HEALTH VISITING SERVICE
In my report for 1959 I stressed the reorientation of the Health Visitors' duties, referring
particularly to the Mental Health field work with old people and problem families.
For some time now a number of Health Visitors have shown a predilection to work in schools
with both sexes on Health Education and sex education, and the Deputy Superintendent Health Visitor herself
is actively engaged in furthering plans for such instruction and carrying the work into the Youth Centres and
social groups.
This is very vital and rewarding work but can be done only by Health Visitors attuned to the
task.
Ministry of Health Circular 1/62 para. 7a
Isolated Health Visitors have worked with general practitioners in the conduct of their 'practice
infant welfare clinics' and this is welcomed by the mothers. But shortage of trained Health Visitors makes
it difficult if not impossible at this juncture, to allocate Health Visitors to work with general practitioners,
or groups of general practitioners exclusively. However, the duties of the Health Visitor will remain under
constant review to allow for pilot schemes of liaison with general practitioners should the staffing position
make this possible.
Ministry of Health Circular 1/62 para. 7b.
In regard to arrangements for Health Visitor follow up of patients discharged from hospital. The
Superintendent Health Visitor had prepared a 'roads list' indicating the Health Visitor allocated to all the
houses in areas of the borough and these Health Visitor roads lists are in the hands of all Hospital Almoners in
our Catchment Area.
The Almoner has no difficulty either to contact the Superintendent Health Visitor or the Health
Visitor concerned as indicated by the patient's address in East Ham, requesting follow up and report, should
the latter also be necessary.
This system is working well and of course the initiative rests with the Almoners to ensure that
follow up after discharge from hospital (especially of important cases) is in fact asked for through the established
channels.

TABLE 21 HEALTH VISITORS - STATISTICS

Number of children under 5 years of age visited during yearExpectant MothersChildren under 1 year of ageChildren age 1 and under 2 yearsChildren age 2 but under 5 yearsOther CasesTotal number of families or households visited by Health VisitorsNumber of attendances by Health Visitors at Clinic Sessions
Total VisitsTotal VisitsTotal VisitsTotal VisitsTotal Visits
Effective Visits19608,5392,1608,1583,9326,2044,6008,7132,577
19617,2312,0217,3433,4925,0525,5017,3832,627
No Access Visits19605421,8789771,163951
19614541,062522568579

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.